Tag Archives: Iron Bridge Magnetite Project

First wet concentrate produced at Iron Bridge Magnetite Project

Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , ,

Fortescue Metals Group has reported that the first wet concentrate has been produced from the ore processing facility at the Iron Bridge Magnetite Project, ahead of being pumped to Port Hedland in Western Australia.

The company, which is the majority owner of Iron Bridge through its ownership in an unincorporated joint venture between FMG Magnetite Pty Ltd (69%) and Formosa Steel IB Pty Ltd (31%), fed first ore into the processing plant back in October.

After managing weather impacts on activity and infrastructure at the site, the company has now reached the wet concentrate milestone, Fortescue confirmed in its March quarter results, released today.

The concentrate was produced on April 22, 2023, ahead of being pumped to Port Hedland. Iron Bridge is set to deliver 22 Mt/y of high grade 67% Fe magnetite concentrate, with the total project capital estimated at $3.9 billion, with Fortescue’s share approximately $3 billion.

During the quarter, the project achieved key milestones, including:

  • Load commissioning of Crushing Circuit A, including the commissioning of the Coarse Ore Stockpile Stacker;
  • Completion of Dry Plant Circuit A and continued construction on Dry Plant Circuit B, together with continued commissioning activities in the Wet Plant;
  • Continued progress on the installation and testing of the concentrate and return water pipelines, with welding completed and pipelines buried;
  • Water testing was conducted on the Concentrate Handling Facility at Port Hedland ahead of first production.

Fortescue Metals Chief Executive Officer, Fiona Hick, said: “This is a significant milestone for Fortescue as Iron Bridge represents our entry into the highest grade segment of the iron ore market, providing an enhanced product range while also increasing production and shipping capacity. It demonstrates our strong track record of successfully delivering complex projects safely.”

Veris gets to work on Iron Bridge Magnetite Project pipeline contract

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Water management, , , , , ,

Veris Australia, a provider of spatial data services, has been selected to provide surveying, pipeline design, data and GIS support services for a concentrate and return water pipeline associated with the Iron Bridge Magnetite Project in Western Australia.

The works, to be executed under subcontract with MPC Kinetic, are expected to generate A$2 million ($1.5 million) in revenue for Veris Australia. Works have already commenced and have an expected duration of 12 months.

The specific scope of works includes boundary staking, centreline set-out, feature and design surveys, level monitoring and as-built surveys for the pipeline route.

The Iron Bridge Magnetite Project, a joint venture between Fortescue Metals Group subsidiary FMG Magnetite Pty Ltd and Formosa Steel IB Pty Ltd, is set to deliver 22 Mt/y of high-grade magnetite concentrate product. The project, set to start up by the end of next year, is 145 km south of Port Hedland in Western Australia.

The contract award leverages Veris Australia’s position as the leading pipeline survey and spatial data service provider nationally and adds to the extensive portfolio of pipeline surveys previously delivered, the company said.

Michael Shirley, Chief Executive Officer, Veris Australia, said: “It’s pleasing to see our significant expertise in pipeline surveys once again recognised with the award of this contract, which follows other recent project wins in pipelines and linear infrastructure across Australia.

“MPC Kinetic is a key client of Veris and we have a well-established relationship, having worked together on numerous pipeline projects previously, and I look forward to our team once again delivering for MPC Kinetic on this key piece of infrastructure underpinning the development of the Iron Bridge project.

“We continue to take big strides forward as a business, with our recent and continued investment in leading-edge data capture technologies and visualisation platforms, which are well complemented by significant contract awards such as this.

“There continues to be a number of pipeline developments under consideration across Australia, and I am confident we are well positioned to take advantage of these opportunities and continue to provide innovative solutions through our technology.”

Swiss Tower Mills Minerals backs Coalition for Eco-Efficient Comminution

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Swiss Tower Mills Minerals AG (STM) has become the latest sponsor to support the work of the not-for-profit Coalition for Eco-Efficient Comminution (CEEC).

An innovative company that has successfully translated the vertical stirred milling technology of industrial minerals to hard-rock minerals processing, STM’s support of CEEC’s work was a natural fit for the company, according to Managing Director, Ralf Hesemann.

“The uptake of new technology in the mining industry is traditionally a slow process,” Hesemann said. “Tapping into a trusted independent body that communicates the latest technical findings on efficient comminution practices is a win-win for both of us.

“I look forward to our collaboration.”

Swiss-based STM developed the Vertical Regrind Mill (VRM) and released it to the minerals market in 2012. More than 60 of the stirred media grinding mills have been sold to mines across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. For fine and ultra-fine grinding applications, it is marketed under the name HIGmill, through the exclusive partner Metso:Outotec. For coarse regrind applications, STM offers the VRM mill directly to customers in the minerals market.

Since the grinding principle of multi-compartment grinding offers substantial energy savings, a new stirred mill has been developed for coarse grinding applications up to 6 mm feed size, the Vertical Power Mill™ (VPM). Mill sizes range from 700 kW to 12,500 kW with high flow rates, and potential energy savings of up to 40%. Due to its small footprint, STM is marketing the VPM as a viable ball mill replacement in HPGR circuits or for capacity increase in existing plants.

The energy savings are achieved through uniquely designed rotors and stator rings in a vertical arrangement that enable high power intensities, even with relatively low tip speeds, STM says. This results in higher energy efficiency, a smaller footprint and the potential for increased recoveries. Power intensities of 200-300 kW/cu.m are typical, and operational tip speeds range between 6-12 m/s, depending on application and mill size.

CEEC Director, Chris Rule, said it was encouraging to see energy efficient, stirred media mills being installed by industry as a step towards more sustainable mining practices, in line with ESG considerations and net zero emissions commitments.

One of the first HIGmills be commissioned, in 2015, was a 700 kW mill for a copper concentrate regrind application at the Kevitsa mine in Finland. Several papers have been published on the energy efficiency and metallurgical performance of this mill, including an Outotec paper presented at Comminution Capetown 2016, and ‘A Review of Published Full-Scale Stirred Mill Results’ by Michael Larson, Molycop, USA, presented at the SAG 2019 Conference.

The technology will also be installed at the Iron Bridge Magnetite Project in Western Australia. The joint venture between Fortescue Metals Group and Formosa Steel IB Pty Ltd is the world’s first large-scale plant without horizontal milling. The flowsheet consists of a two-stage HPGR circuit feeding in total 10 advanced HIGmill grinding mills.

Rule said stirred mill grinding technology had been well proven for decades in industrial mineral applications such as in the opacifiers, fillers, ceramics, paint and pharmaceutical industries.

“We commend STM for translating this technology to mineral processing, offering miners an energy-efficient, low footprint alternative to high-intensity ball milling,” Rule said.

“Having STM on board as a CEEC sponsor means greater opportunities for us to learn about and share alternative comminution approaches. This support from our valued sponsors over the past 10 years is what enables CEEC to help keep industry aware of demonstrated advances that help mining leaders tackle the challenges of reducing the energy consumption, emissions and overall footprint of their operations.”

Hesemann said declining ore quality meant energy efficient comminution was becoming a more critical stage for realising profit.

“We’re proud of the part our technology plays in lowering the footprint of mineral processing, while at the same time decreasing capital expenditure and operating expenditure and improving the bottom line.

“Being a CEEC sponsor will enable us to more widely share any advances in this field, as well as learning from the global network of industry experts that CEEC brings together through its events and online resources.”

Pictured is the factory acceptance test success for a new 50,000 litre Vertical Regrind Mill (VRM50000)