Operations

Conceptual Mine Plan

The heavy mineral sand operation main components are excavation equipment, wet and dry mills, laboratory and storage facilities. Excavation will comprise rubber-tired front end loaders and trucks to extract and move the mineral sands material. The soil and overburden materials will also be removed via truck and front-end loader method and stockpiled adjacent to the working site. Stockpiling next to the worksite allows for ready access and retrieval during the ongoing backfill and reclamation program.

Separation of Minerals

The wet mill separation stage will reduce the bulk of the material being handled and produce a rough concentrate which contains the majority of the heavy minerals. The wet separation plant, located directly adjacent to the dry plant, will screen and wash the sands.

Gravity separation of minerals will then be achieved by pouring the water/sand slurry down through spiral concentration coils. As the sand slurry slides down the spirals, heavier grains will be separated from the lighter grains. No chemicals whatsoever will be used. Approximately 60% of the material removed will be returned to the excavated area and resulting heavy mineral concentrate will be moved by conveyor and front end loader to the dry mill plant, located at the same site.

The dry separation of the minerals will be achieved by using a combination of both magnetic and electrostatic separation equipment. Additional gravity and screening functions will assist in making final high-grade products.