Sheffield ramps up production at new WA mineral sands mine
Ramp up activities at the Thunderbird mineral sands mine, in Western Australia, are progressing well, with the new mine moving towards nameplate capacity, ASX-listed executive chairperson Bruce Griffin reported on Wednesday.
For the quarter to date, Thunderbird has achieved mine production totalling 1.23-million tonnes, a significant step change from the previous quarter.
Monthly mine production of 750 000 t during May was consistent with the ramp-up schedule towards an annualised ore mining rate of ten-million tonnes a year contained in the 2022 bankable feasibility study.
The increase in the mine production has resulted in higher production of concentrates with about 65 000 t of ilmenite produced in the quarter to date, and about 37 000 t in the current month of May.
Production of zircon concentrate totalled 20 000 t for the quarter to date, with about 12 000 t produced in the month of May.
Thunderbird has encountered higher-than-planned oversized material, which is resulting in higher costs. Coupled with scope changes to mining and logistics contracts, near term cash operating costs will range between $55-million and $60-million per quarter.
Ilmenite shipments have continued to grow, with about 55 000 t of concentrate dispatched to joint venture partner Yansteel, and the loading to 30 000 t of ilemenite concentrate under way.
“Whilst we have observed cost pressure and near-term pressure on realised zircon concentrate pricing, Thunderbird remains a world class mineral sands asset capable of solid production and cost performance across many decades to come,” said Griffin.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest News
Showroom
Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
