PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Thunderbird mineral sands project, in Western Australia, remains on track to deliver its first mineral sands product in the first quarter of 2024.
ASX-listed Sheffield Resources on Wednesday told shareholders that construction at Thunderbird was now over 50% complete, and was advancing in line with the planned schedule.
“It is great to see further significant progress on site with the commencement of steel structure erection ahead of equipment installation. Thunderbird site construction activities are continuing in full swing following the final investment decision in October,” said Sheffield executive chairperson Bruce Griffin.
“We also welcome the approval from the Environmental Protection Authority for the export of bulk product from the Port of Broome. With first customer deliveries on track for the first quarter of 2024, this provides Thunderbird with a second bulk handling and export option, in addition to the Port of Derby.”
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 is estimated to produce 1.4-million tonnes a year of zircon and ilmenite concentrates over an estimated 36 year life-of-mine.