Name of the Project
Pilot Mountain tungsten project.

Location
Nevada, US.

Client
Thor Mining.

Project Description
A scoping study has shown the potential for at least a medium-term life on one, and potentially two, of the four tungsten deposits at the Pilot Mountain project. The study proposes the simultaneous exploitation of the Desert Scheelite and Garnet operations.

Desert Scheelite is expected to have a mine life 12 years, with openpit mining over 11 years and one additional year to complete proces-sing. Total forecast openpit production is estimated at 7.5-million tonnes.

Contract mining is planned using conventional opencut mining methods, and drill-and-blast, followed by excavation and haulage. A series of pit cutbacks is scheduled to deliver the forecast 650 000 t/y mine production, which will generate about 1 000 t/y of scheelite.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Project payback of 36 months is forecast on the base case, reducing to less than 18 if current metallurgical testwork, is successful in improving recovery to 85% or above.

Value
Capital expenditure of the Desert Scheelite project is estimated at $30-million to $35-million.

Duration
Not stated.

Latest Development
The scoping study outcomes support a deci-sion to start a more detailed prefeasibility study to progress the project along the development pathway.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Resource Evaluation Services (resource estimates); AVCS (Desert Scheelite scoping study, mine planning and capital costs); NA Degerstrom (operating parameters and costs); Guangzhou Research Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals (metallurgical processes and outcomes); and Practical Mining (garnet evaluation).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Thor Mining, tel +61 8 7324 1935, fax +61 8 8351 5169 or email corporate@thormining.com.