With DT discussing a possible fast track to mining, my question is why the urgency?The reference to mine development is the 2nd of two statements that begin at around 1:59:30+ in the talk.
[Thanks for link to talk
@Polonium210 and at least one other I noticed.]
I hadn't really registered the time frame as potentially digging not to far off - 12 months? if the stars align.
Some musings - my own and no input from DT's comments.
If such an optimistic time frame is achievable, or not because it just takes time to get everything in place [native title, EPA, mining leases and the list goes on such that desire and reality clash], then DRE could become a cash cow (??) at current high REE prices.
A starter pit at 'central Yin' is easy to envisage and for a mining state like WA easily achievable once all the necessary hurdles are overcome.
This shallow, thick, down dip continuous, high grade (vs Yangibana), good NdPr zone would IMO be an excellent starter pit that could payback the initial costs and then provide leverage for suitable satellites from the 43(+Kms) of ironstones.
Studies to see how and if the carbonatites could go through the plant.
As DT said the ironstones are easy targets to drill. 3 months drilling to get to inferred. Another 3 months to infill to 50m along the 3Kms of known strike? Local 25m infill as done at Yangibana? IMO feasible for one rig and more so with multiple rigs.
[DT did mention the drillers have some new offsiders and starting at the ironstones would be easier on them than at C1-5 (where some/all samples need to be put in plastic bags apparently) though not likely a major concern. Inexperienced offsiders have a steep learning curve in a very physically demanding environment - some do not survive the first shift most do.]
Making a statement like this at a conference implies Board support for the concept IMO. Important - yes. Urgency level? DRE will be aware of much of what is required with probably a very good first pass amount of data collected from last years drilling. A final decision to go all out may come once the mett work is back from the diamond holes at Yin.
Digging up the ironstone, transition, and fresh zones is not a major issue.
If a suitable concentrate is too expensive to extract then the mining effort would be a waste of time and money.
The ironstones are known from early tests and HAS data so the top levels are Ok. Transitional and fresh may need different processing.
[Wish I had taken a photo of the core on display that clearly showed these variations.]
Another aside is a comment that initial mining at Mt Weld put some years worth of ore on the mill pad. Mining capacity far exceeded milling capacity. After the initial concentration the processing becomes the realm of specialised chemical engineers which is far different to most mining operations.
No answer to your query that tickled my grey matter.
Seems one variation of a theme that could be possible.
(20min delay)