King Island Scheelite recently provided an update on its new processing plant to be constructed to treat ore from the proposed redevelopment of the Dolphin tungsten mine on King Island, Tasmania. The Dolphin pit was dewatered in 2014 down to the sump level, just below the old underground portal. A detailed mine plan and schedule has been developed by Xenith Consulting which will allow for eight years of open cut mining at an average rate of 400,000 t per annum of ore. The company recently engaged Gekko Systems Pty Ltd to design and cost a processing plant, capable of treating the ore from the proposed Dolphin mine and based on the metallurgical test work completed at the ALS laboratory in Burnie, Tasmania.

A modular design was preferred as this will minimise construction and commissioning times on site and result in reduced costs. Gekko completed their study in December 2018, after certain revisions requested by King Island. The study was conducted to a Level 3 standard, meaning that the costings are within an accuracy limit of +/-10%. Costs determined by Gekko are within the range anticipated by the company, as determined by its own internal estimates. “Capital and operating costs are significantly lower than those determined in previous feasibility studies, due largely to the re-design of the flow sheet.