MINERAL sands miner Mineral Deposits is planning to announce a $1 billion-plus joint venture with French major Eramet to mine on the coast of the West African nation of Senegal and process minerals in Norway. If Mineral Deposits can get Grand Cote into production, it will become the world's fourth-biggest mineral sands producer, behind Iluka, the Richards Bay joint venture controlled by BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and South Africa's Exarro.