PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Mineral sands miner Iluka has reported a 10% increase in production during the three months to June, as the Cataby operation, in Western Australia, produced its first heavy mineral concentrate, and the synthetic rutile kiln 2, at the Capel operation, returned to full capacity following a major maintenance outage in the March quarter.

Iluka on Wednesday reported that production for the June quarter reached 251 200 t, up from the 197 200 t reported in the previous quarter.

Zircon production in the June quarter was down slightly from 87 200 t to 72 700 t, while rutile production was consistent at 40 400 t. Synthetic rutile production more than doubled from 26 800 t to 56 000 t, while ilmenite production also nearly doubled from 42 800 t to 82 200 t.

Total mineral sales for the June quarter reached 222 800 t, up from the 200 500 t sold in the March quarter, while 423 300 t was sold in the first half ending June. Revenues in the June quarter increased from A$250.3-million to A$295.2-million, while half-year revenue was reported at A$545.6-million.

Meanwhile, Iluka on Wednesday reported that subject to the finalization of offtake agreements and some regulatory approvals, the construction of the Eneabba mineral sands recovery project, in Western Australia, is poised to start in the fourth quarter of this year, with commissioning expected during the first half of 2020, and first sales by the third quarter of that year.

The Eneabba mineral sands recovery project would involve the extraction, processing and sale of a historical monazite-rich tailings stockpile that is currently stored in a mining void at Eneabba, in Western Australia.

The project is estimated to contain a measured resource of some 0.84-million tonnes, grading 83.7% heavy minerals, and an indicated resource of 0.16-million tonnes, grading 77.5% heavy minerals.