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Woodie Woodie to expand

Michael Quinn


Tuesday, April 27, 2004
STRONG demand from the Chinese steel industry has seen Consolidated Minerals commit to a 200,000 tonne per annum manganese expansion at its Woodie Woodie operation in Western Australia costing $6.5 million.

Production will increase from 600,000 tonnes per annum to 800,000tpa, with the expansion scheduled to be commissioned in November of this year.

ConsMin said a feasibility study had shown pay back of the expansion would be achieved within 12 months.

Key elements of the expansion project involve additional heavy media separation capacity, minor modifications to the existing crushing plant, as well as increasing camp size.

ConsMin pointed out that production of steel in China has grown from 114 million tonnes to 220Mt over the last five years, with growth continuing strongly in the first quarter of 2004.

Last week ConsMin decided against making a bid for emerging nickel producer Titan Resources, though managing director Michael Kiernan maintains that the company remains interested in gaining assets in the nickel industry.

Shares in ConsMin were up 2c to $1.16 in midday trade.

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