PERTH (miningweekly.com) – First mineral sands product from the Thunderbird mineral sands project, in Western Australia, is on track for the first quarter of 2024, ASX-listed Sheffield Resources said on Monday.
Construction work at the project is some 38% complete, with civil earthworks, including the construction of the tailings facility, progressing well.
“It’s extremely pleasing to see the Thunderbird site construction progressing well. Committed equity proceeds of $130.1-million secured from Yansteel following the formation of the Kimberley Mineral Sands (KMS) joint venture have been put to work and site construction continues to ramp up with KMS moving ever closer to committing to full construction at the conclusion of the project financing activities,” said Sheffield executive chairperson Bruce Griffin.
“With first production on track for the first quarter of 2024, Thunderbird is well positioned to deliver product into a buoyant market that continues to experience supply constraints across the globe.”
A March definitive feasibility study estimated that the project would require a capital investment of A$361-million for the Stage 1 operation, which would have a process rate of 1 085 t/h.
The two-stage Thunderbird development pathway sees the initial Stage 1 mining and processing feed rate forecast at 1 085 t/h at the wet concentrate plant (WCP), with Stage 2 doubling the WCP feed rate to 2 170 t/h targeted during Year 5 of operations.
Stage 1 and 2 of operations are estimated to produce 1.4-million tonnes a year of zircon and ilmenite concentrates over an estimated 36 year life-of-mine.