Name of the Project
Mt Peake vanadium/titanium/iron project.

Location
Northern Territory, Australia.

Project Owner/s
TNG.

Project Description
As part of the ongoing front-end engineering design (FEED) process for its Mt Peake project, TNG has optimised its planned execution and delivery strategy for the project, delivering savings and reductions in upfront capital costs while maintaining robust economics.

Discussions have confirmed that simplifying the project towards a one-stage build, while minimising capacity and capital expenditure, most suits the targeted debt/equity structure for the project.

The Mt Peake mine site will involve mining the titanomagnetite ore and recovering the magnetite in a concentrate through a beneficiation process.

The company and its advisers have selected a development strategy based on an initial production rate of two-million tonnes a year of ore throughput at the beneficiation plant, corresponding to 100 000 t/y of titanium oxide pigment through the proposed TIVAN processing plant. At a later date, after the financial completion of construction and operation of the two-million-tonne-a-year plant, TNG may consider the option to expand production capacity.

Previous feasibility studies were conducted using three-million tonnes a year run-of-mine (RoM) production capacity during an initial production stage and increasing capacity to six-million tonnes a year RoM by expanding the plant after four years of production.

Under the new mining schedule, the life-of-mine (LoM) has been extended to 37 years, from the previously planned 20-year LoM.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The updated pretax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, is estimated at A$2.8-billion, with an internal rate of return of 33% and a payback of 2.8 years.

Capital Expenditure
Preproduction capital expenditure is estimated at A$824-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
TNG has appointed financial advisory firm KPMG as its financial adviser for project financing to develop its Mt Peake project.

“The KPMG team’s expertise in global mining projects, very strong track record of major transaction achievements in Australia and globally, and existing relationships with anticipated lenders of KfW IPEX-Bank and the Northern Australian Infrastructure Fund (NAIF), adds credibility and is a positive mark to achieve the optimal financing outcome for the company and its shareholders,” TNG MD and CEO Paul Burton has said.

TNG previously mandated KfW as its exclusive senior debt adviser and arranger, and the company has made a formal application to the NAIF for participation in project funding.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Snowden Mining Industry Consultants (revised mining strategy); Como Engineering (beneficiation plant – recoveries, operating expenditure and capital expenditure); McMahon Services (infrastructure – operating and capital expenditures); SMS (process plant flowsheets); and METS Engineering (process plant construction and operating expenditure).

Contact Details for Project Information
TNG, tel +61 8 9327 0900 or email corporate@tngltd.com.au.