Snapper. You are right there is a history. Hope we can create a new and better history.
Ive been doing some work here and think I should share it because I'm stuck. What was the initial question? What type of beneficiation process and at what scale?
Posters have attempted to look at the beneficiation processes of other miners for comparison purposes. From my limited understanding of geology, the problem is that beneficiation processes are designed around the properties of the ore type. Thus, the comparison needs to be with a company with an ore type of similar properties as those at Marillana.
You may have noticed that in the 11 Dec 2007 ASX update the company referred to “The Marillana Detrital Iron Ore Project” in the corner of its graphical overheads. Although that description of the project appears to have been dropped, its an apt description given they have around 900MT of detrital ore out of 1062MT in total.
In respect to beneficiation, they have said that “Beneficiation Plants have been designed and operated at various mines throughout Western Australia –including BHPBilliton’s -Mt Whaleback and Finucane Island, Rio Tinto’s –Brockman 2 deposit, Tom Price and Paraburdoo Projects.”
All well and good. Beneficiation is not unconventional. Hardly surprising. However, the company has not to my knowledge publically declared what type of ore body (with similar characteristics and beneficiation requirements) is comparable to Marillana. It has however, done exactly that privately with Pattersons though. Refer March 7 Report, page 1 where they say:
“BRM considers Marillana a credible analogue to RIO’s Brockman 2 detrital ore body located along the (Hammersley) range front, with technology feasible and proven.”
It makes sense given that “Marillana covers a 16km strike length along the base of the Hamersley Range, prospective for channel iron and detrital iron deposits in valleys shedding from the Ranges. This was also the case for Brockman 2.
So the next question. What do we know of Brockman 2? Its located 55km NW of Tom Price. Production commenced in 1992 on detrital ore. Production rate of 4MTpa and the mine went into care and maintenance in 2002. A refurbishment led to production again in 2003 (needs confirming). RIO subsequently moved to an adjacent bedrock ore reserve and have also developed two iron deposits near Brockman 2 (Nammuldi and Silvergrass). Nammuldi has a Brockman Bedded Iron Deposit, crushing and screening plant and 5MTpa production. The current Brockman mine relates to Brockman 4 and is an 8MTpa crush and screen plant with BID geology.
So who knows anything about Brockman 2 ??? RIO give out no information on beneficiation processes and I cant find anything from other sources either. This is as good as it gets.
http://www.portergeo.com.au/bookshop/select_More.asp McKenna D M, Harmsworth R A 1998 - Brockman No.2 detritals (B2D) iron ore deposit; in Berkman D A, Mackenzie D H (Ed.s), 1998 Geology of Australian & Papua New Guinean Mineral Deposits The AusIMM, Melbourne Mono 22 pp 375-380
BRM Price at posting:
0.0¢ Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
