australia's identified mineral resources 2004 - Geoscience Australia

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AUSTRALIA’S IDENTIFIED MINERAL RESOURCES 2004 Mining Area C iron ore project, Pilbara Region of Western Australia. (BHP Billition Iron Ore) The $20.3 million expansion project commenced in late 2003 and involves the development of mining areas at Windarling and Mount Jackson. Ore will be trucked to the existing processing plant for blending to extend the life of the operation and increase production. First ore is scheduled to be delivered to Koolyanobbing in March 2004. From August to November, development drilling was undertaken that lead to the finalisation of a mine optimisation study in December 2003. In early 2004 Portman announced that the Koolyanobbing project had a life of 13 years at a production rate of 5 Mtpa. Portman plan to spend $5 million on an exploration program aimed at increasing the long term production level. At Cockatoo Island there were difficulties associated with mine dewatering and construction of the Stage 2 seawall and construction was suspended in mid-2003. Dewatering and geotechnical studies were undertaken and construction of the Stage 2 seawall was due to recommence in early 2004. The current reserves of 3.1 Mt will support production for three years. 40 Mount Gibson Iron Ltd: The $20 million Tallering Peak mine commenced in October 2003 at a rate of 1.6 Mtpa over 10 years. Road, rail and port infrastructure was completed in late 2003 and railing of iron ore to Geraldton is planned to commence in early 2004. Infrastructure developments included a $100 million dredging of Geraldton harbour to accommodate 60 kt Panamax vessels and the construction of a 150 kt capacity storage shed. The company plans to spend $10 million to develop a mine at the Mount Gibson deposit during 2005. Planned production is at a rate of 1.5 Mtpa over 10 years. Other proposals include supplying magnetite concentrates to China from Tallering Peak, Mount Gibson or Koolanooka South. Aztec Resources Ltd: The Koolan Island deposits are located in Yampi Sound about 130 km NW of Derby in Western Australia. BHP mined 67 Mt of high grade ore between 1965 and 1993. In 2003 Aztec announced 25 million tonnes of ore grading 67% iron in the Main orebody. Aztec plans to complete a feasibility study during 2004 with a $50 million redevelopment proposed to commence
AUSTRALIA’S IDENTIFIED MINERAL RESOURCES 2004 in 2005. A drilling program planned for 2004 will test extensions of the Main orebody and other satellite orebodies. Hope Downs Management Services: The $1.5 billion Hope Downs project consists of constructing mine, rail and port infrastructure based on the Hope Downs 1 Marra Mamba deposit 100 km NW of Newman. Commencement of production is planned for 2007 at a rate of 5 Mtpa increasing to 25 Mtpa within five years. There is potential for a $300 million saving if agreement can be reached with BHP Billiton for access to the existing rail network. Fortescue Mining Group Ltd: Propose to spend $1.2 billion constructing common access infrastructure in the Pilbara region of Western Australia including a 400 km rail line and loading berths at Port Hedland. The company also plans to develop a 20 Mtpa operation at Mount Nicholas, Tongololo Creek, Mount Lewin and/or Mindy Mindy. Geological work and reverse circulation drilling commenced on Mount Nicholas and Mindy Mindy in the second half of 2003. Midwest Corporation Ltd: Plan to develop a 1.0 Mtpa direct shipping ore project from high grade resources at Koolanooka and Blue Hills commencing in late 2004. This would be followed by a $540 million 4.5 Mtpa pellet plant operation based on the magnetite deposit at Koolanooka located 120 km SE of Geraldton. Midwest also completed a conceptual study of developing a 10 Mtpa direct shipping iron ore project at Weld Range located 270 km NE of Geraldton. A drilling program at Koolanooka and Blue Hills was completed in the last quarter of 2003. Further drilling and geological work is planned for Blue Hills, Weld Range and Jack Hills in the first quarter of 2004. High grade direct shipping ore was mined at Koolanooka between 1966 and 1973. Grange Resources Ltd: The Southdown deposit is located 80 km NE of Albany in Western Australia. Grange proposes to produce 2.0 Mtpa of magnetite concentrate over a 14 year period. A detailed review of the Southdown project is being undertaken to assess the viability. Mineralogy Pty Ltd: Mineralogy is promoting two projects: ■ ■ The Austeel consortium is proposing an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) project based on the Fortescue magnetite deposits located 80 km SW of Karratha in Western Australia. The $3 billion project consists of a mine, concentration and pelletising plants and direct reduction and briquetting of iron ore. The EAF steelmaking plant is proposed to be located in Newcastle, NSW. The project received environmental approvals in October 2003. International Minerals Pty Ltd is proposing to mine and export pellets from the Fortescue magnetite deposits. OneSteel Ltd: In April 2003 OneSteel signed a six-year contract with Henry Walker Eltin that covered mining, crushing and train loading services and a five-year ore beneficiation project for the Middleback Range operation in South Australia. The project will process 9 Mt of low grade ore to produce 5 Mt of useable high grade ore and is scheduled to be commissioned in mid-2004. In mid-2003 OneSteel announced a $6 million feasibility study into magnetite resources in the Middleback Ranges. If the resources are found to be commercial there is potential to slash up to 5% off steelmaking costs. The study would also assess the marketability of the current hematite ore. OneSteel plan to use Portman Ltd to market any bulk iron ore and iron ore pellets from Whyalla. 41 Ivanhoe Mines Ltd: At Savage River on the west coast of Tasmania the current open-cut mining operations are scheduled to terminate at the end of 2007 and the pellet producing operations are scheduled to terminate in 2009. Ivanhoe is undertaking a pre-feasibility study of an underground block caving operation under the North Pit. Arafura Resources NL: Entered into an agreement with Territory Iron Pty Ltd which allows Territory to develop, mine and sell iron ore located at Arafura’s Frances Creek property located 200 km SE of Darwin. During 2003 Territory Iron completed a detailed gravity survey over the area and plans to carry out further definition of known resources and exploration for new resources in 2004. The Frances Creek mine produced 8 Mt of iron ore grading 59% Fe between 1966 and 1974.
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australia's identified mineral resources 2004 - Geoscience Australia

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