Tag Archives: magnetite

Weir secures largest-ever individual mining order from Fortescue

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

The Weir Group says it has been awarded a £100 million ($123 million) order to provide industry-leading energy saving solutions to the Iron Bridge magnetite project, a joint venture between Fortescue Metals Group and Formosa Steel IB.

The order, which includes a range of Weir crushing and pump equipment including Enduron® high pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs) and GEHO® pumps, will reduce energy consumption and wet tailings waste by more than 30% compared with traditional mining technologies, according to the equipment manufacturer.

The Iron Bridge project, 145 km south of Port Hedland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, is a $2.6 billion investment in premium magnetite iron ore reserves with annual production, when the mine is fully operational, of 22 Mt/y of 67% Fe concentrate. Delivery of the first ore is expected in 2022.

When the mine build was approved back in April, Fortescue CEO, Elizabeth Gaines, said the innovative design for the project, which included the use of a dry crushing and grinding circuit, “will deliver an industry-leading energy efficient operation with globally competitive capital intensity and operating costs”.

A pilot project to verify the Iron Bridge project design involved processing 1 Mt of ore through a full scale HPGR and air classifier, according to Fortescue.

Weir Group Chief Executive Officer, Jon Stanton, said: “We are delighted to have secured this landmark contract, which is Weir’s largest-ever individual mining order.

“Fortescue challenged us to help create one of the most energy and cost-efficient magnetite ore processing facilities in the world. Our engineers have worked relentlessly to design a solution that is truly innovative – delivering significant energy, water and cost savings. This is a great example of working in close partnership with an ambitious customer who shares our passion for using innovative engineering to make mining more productive and sustainable.”

Ricardo Garib, President of the Weir Minerals division, added: “Our team are really enjoying working with Fortescue. Our engineers relish a challenge and it has been great to work on a project that demonstrates the substantial cost and environmental savings that our range of solutions can offer.

“As more mines look to increase productivity, we look forward to even more opportunities to leverage our combination of passionate people, innovative solutions and comprehensive global service capability.”

Weir’s Enduron HPGRs are increasingly replacing conventional mills in comminution (crushing, screening and grinding) circuits because of their substantially lower energy consumption and potential for significant total cost of ownership reduction, Weir says.

“Not only do they require as much as 40% less energy than traditional alternatives, but their wearable components last much longer and the maintenance time required to replace worn out parts is significantly lower.”

The company outlined the reasons why companies are turning to Enduron HPGRs in a blog post earlier this week.

CU-River Mining looks to create South Australia bulk transhipment facility

Bulk handling, Mineral project development, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

Flinders Power Partnership has agreed to sell CU-River Mining the former power station at Port Augusta, South Australia, with the iron ore focused company looking to turn the site into a bulk commodity, transhipment port facility.

The acquisition is expected to provide a substantial jobs boon for the Upper Spencer Gulf town, according to CU-River Mining.

Construction will start once feasibility and approvals are complete, the company said, with more than 150 people employed at peak and up to 100 permanent positions to be created once the facility is in operation.

It is expected the facility will have an initial capacity up to 15 Mt/y. However, future export potential via a multi-stage development approach, is in excess of 50 Mt/y.

It is proposed the A$250 million ($181 million) port facility will be capable of handling iron ore, grain and other commodities. Barges will be loaded at the port then sail into Spencer Gulf’s deeper water to unload onto larger, capesize vessels, which have a capacity of approximately 175,000 t.

The company expects to begin operations within two years, which will lead to the return of commercial shipping to Port Augusta for the first time in almost half a century.

The retention of key infrastructure at the site, including a 5 km rail loop and unloading systems, made the 1,068-ha site an attractive proposition for CU-River, according to External Affairs Manager, Shelaye Boothey.

“CU-River has a strong project pipeline and an ambitious growth strategy that will see it headquartered in South Australia for decades to come. The purchase of the site is a significant, strategic decision that allows CU-River to secure a direct export pathway for the 15 Mt of high-grade iron ore magnetite it plans to mine each year from 2026.

“However, it is our intention to develop the port as a multi-user facility, providing Spencer Gulf and far-north industry with further export opportunities.”

The significant size of the site means there is considerable scope for the land to be further developed for a number of commercial uses, according to Boothey.

“We will be examining the feasibility of constructing a large-scale solar farm,” she said. “However, we will be exploring every option to ensure the site’s commercial potential is maximised. Further development of the site will result in more jobs for Port Augusta, making this an exciting prospect.”

The power station ceased generation in May 2016. Since that time, Flinders Power has been responsible for the decommissioning and demolition of the power station and rehabilitation of the site. It is expected the sale of the site will be finalised in early April 2019, once remediation is complete.

CU-River plans to continue with the Community Reference Group (CRG) established by Flinders Power after it acquires the site. This will provide key stakeholders the opportunity to work collaboratively with CU-River and provide an opportunity to contribute to the future planning of the site, according to the company.

CU-River Mining aims to be an important partner to the South Australia Government by helping achieve its Magnetite Strategy goal of producing 50 Mt/y by 2030. It holds four exploration licences covering approximately 3,000 km² in broadly the same vicinity as Cairn Hill (which has a 3 Mt/y capacity). Once these resources are brought into production our goal is to produce 15 Mt/y of magnetite concentrate.

Established in 2014, the company purchased the existing Cairn Hill iron ore mine, 55 km southeast of Coober Pedy. After an extensive A$20 million upgrade, CU-River started mining in 2016,  producing and exporting 1 Mt of magnetite ore in its first 12 months of operation. Production ceased in late 2017, but the company plans to recommence mining in the middle of this year.

LKAB takes to the skies to find new orebodies around Kiruna

Mineral exploration, Mining equipment, Mining project news, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , ,

LKAB, in tandem with representatives from the University of Münster (Germany) and Luleå University of Technology, LTU (Sweden), recently flew a helicopter-borne survey system, around 90 m above the ground, around its Kiruna area in northern Sweden.

The process works where a helicopter flies past 90 m above the ground with a survey instrument in tow. During a week in October, the helicopter flew in the Luossavaara area near Kurravaaravägen in and around the Varggropen/Nukutus outdoor leisure area and Lake Tuollujärvi.

LKAB said: “The method is unique and was conducted as a research study – one that can help safeguard LKAB’s future.”

The area surveyed was around 40 km², but two weeks preparation was necessary before flying could begin. First, a 2 km cable was laid out in various places in the terrain. Iron digging bars for conducting electrical current into the earth were attached to each end of the cable.

Niklas Juhojuntti, Geophysicist at LKAB, said: “It creates an electromagnetic wave that emits a signal that penetrates the ground. The signal is captured by sensors in the survey instrument suspended beneath the aircraft.”

Based on the aircraft test results, the project group in Germany will put together a 3D model which could reach down to a depth of around 1 km. The survey results will show if there are any electrical conductors, which could indicate the presence of an orebody.

“If this is the case, we will have to drill to find out more precisely what it is. Magnetite is a great conductor,” says Juhojuntti.

LKAB anticipates the results from the aerial survey in January or February 2019 at the earliest. Scientists from LTU will also compile the results from surveys carried out on the surface.

“By piecing together all of the results, we can gain a better picture. From what we’ve seen so far, all the survey data looks good and provided a clear signal,” says Juhojuntti.

LKAB took responsibility for certain parts of the logistics in Kiruna, but the research project paid for the surveys.

“They wanted to demonstrate that there survey methods work, and now they’ve been able to fly in an area where we know mineralisation is present,” Juhojuntti said.

“In Germany, it’s not as easy to find areas like this, and nor is everyone there quite as well disposed toward this method. They were extremely pleased with the Kiruna residents, who left their equipment well alone. They enjoyed a great reception by the people out in the field.”

The results from the flights can help LKAB in its hunt for new orebodies and create a more secure future, the company says.

“I’m hoping this method will allow us to detect any indications concerning unknown major orebodies at depth. We still haven’t done much work at depth north of Nukutus,” Juhojuntti says.