Downer’s Mineral Technologies business was last month awarded a contract to deliver a new C$34 million turnkey solution for Quebec Iron Ore’s Bloom Lake, a subsidiary of Champion Iron. Due for completion in 2018, Mineral Technologies’ turnkey solution incorporates engineering, process equipment, construction and commissioning services.

Mineral Technologies has a long and successful history delivering separation solutions across Canada including the Labrador Trough’s iron ore region. Having supplied equipment and services to local operations since the 1970s, Canada is today the largest installation base for Mineral Technologies’ spirals worldwide.

The Mineral Technologies solution incorporates an upgraded recovery circuit that will replace the existing traditional three stage spiral separator flowsheet. The new gravity circuit will utilise WW6 spirals in a new circuit arrangement with Mineral Technologies upcurrent classifiers, which combine to dramatically reduce recirculating loads and minimise losses to the rougher spiral stage tailings. Additional recovery gains will be accomplished with the inclusion of a magnetic separation circuit to recover fine iron from the gravity circuit tailings.

Mineral Technologies’ General Manager, Global Sales, Ken Roberts, said: “We’re excited to be working with the Quebec Iron Ore team to bring the Bloom Lake operation back online. Quebec Iron Ore is set to become a competitive player in the global iron ore market and will make a significant impact on the provincial economy. Our turnkey solution will reset the bar in the Labrador trough region for expected iron unit recovery performance.”