Mindax Ltd has begun an infrastructure study to determine alternatives for rail and road connections between its Mt Forrest iron project and a deepwater port. Mindax is now a significant new player in the emerging Yilgarn iron province (YIP) with an extensive drill program testing its DSO iron conceptual exploration targets. The company is moving towards an upgraded DSO resource position.
Mindax have initiated a study which will examine infrastructure development options for the YIP. In order to fast track product to a port, the study will assess four potential transport corridors from Mt Forrest to:
1. Esperance Port via Menzies – 160 km new rail track
2. Esperance Port via Leonora – 135 km new rail track
3. Oakajee Port via Mullewa – 440 km new rail track
4. Esperance or Fremantle via Koolyanobbing – 240 km new rail track
The study will lead into further infrastructure planning for the provision of power and water. Managing Director Greg Bromley said: “With an existing railway only 160 km away at Menzies, DSO resources at Mt Forrest can be fast tracked to market making Mindax a major mover in the emerging Yilgarn Iron Province. A rail link would provide an important lead in to future magnetite production from the area. The magnetite endowment within 50 km of Mt Forrest already includes in excess of five Bt and presents a significant new long term economic potential for the Goldfields region.”
“Any consideration of rail infrastructure will have to include the common interests of other players in the area. An important element of the study will be to establish the rail requirements that optimise the interests of Mindax, the other miners in the YIP, and the people of Western Australia,” Mr Bromley said.
“To be ready in time for mining, our railway study needs to be kick-started now,” he said. “To unlock the area’s immense wealth and build jobs for WA’s people, Mindax is keen to pursue an open infrastructure policy with other stakeholders in the area.” Mindax has initiated discussions with a number of government agencies and some of the other potential producers in the Yilgarn Iron Province.
Located in the Richardson Ranges, Mindax’s 100% owned YilgIron Pty Ltd’s promising Mt Forrest iron ore project lies 150 km north-west of the railway line at Menzies which connects with the Port of Esperance iron ore export shipping facility. The project covers seven mining leases over 50 sq km and includes extensive iron formation as multiple bands within a folded package varying from 200 to 700 metres width, over 17 km of strike. The iron formation includes both magnetite rich zones and hematite-goethite zones.
Mindax’s Mt Forrest project is now developing the Mt Forrest project’s DSO iron opportunity in the emerging Central Yilgarn Iron Province, and Mindax anticipates a new resource report at the end of September. A parallel study of potentially beneficial magnetite resources is also in progress.