Overview
Stage | Permitting |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Mine Life | 38 years (as of Jan 1, 2021) |
Nolans is a world-class, shovel-ready Australian NdPr project that will supply ~4% of the world's NdPr oxide demand.
During the 2023 Financial year, Monadelphous was selected as the preferred construction contractor for the Nolans Project hydrometallurgical plant and commenced ECI engagement with Arafura.
More recently, MACA Interquip was selected as the preferred contractor for the Project’s beneficiation plant and similarly engaged to complete an ECI phase to optimise the plant’s design.
A wide range of enabling works and early construction activities on site at the Nolans Project commenced in the second half of 2023 financial year. In effect, Arafura has ‘broken ground’ on site and established the infrastructure and services required to support an ongoing construction workforce, setting the stage for a move to full construction. |
Latest News | Arafura bolstered by Federal funding March 15, 2024 |
Source:
p. 73
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Vein / narrow vein
- Pegmatite
Summary:
The Nolans Bore deposit is spatially close to several tin and tantalum pegmatites, and REE-bearing carbonatite/alkaline complexes (Mud Tank and Mordor Igneous Complex). This mineral field of carbonatites, pegmatites, and other REE occurrences is in a region transacted by three major lineaments delineated by O’Driscoll, which include the north–northwest trending G2-gravity lineament that is considered to be spatially related to the Olympic Dam deposit and northwest-trending G3-gravity.
The mineralisation at the Nolans Bore deposit is hosted in a series of east-northeast trending, and steeply dipping to the northwest, fluorapatite veins and breccia zones. The granite-gneiss host has been strongly kaolinised due to weathering.
Huston et al. (in press) describe four styles of mineralisation: massive fluorapatite veins that typically contain 4–6% REE oxides and constitute most of the defined resource; very high-grade (7º–10% REE oxide) zones found in cheralite-bearing, apatite-poor kaolinitic zones outside of the veins; apatite allanite epidote zones hosted by calc-silicates; and low-grade stockwork zones in gneiss and kaolinitised rock adjacent to the veins and mylonite zones.
Summary:
The mining method selected is open cut utilising conventional hydraulic excavator and haul truck fleets. The open pits will be developed using multiple stage pit designs, all of which have been completed to a FS standard. Ramps are designed at 1 in 10 gradient, 30m wide except for lower pit levels and small sub-pits where the ramps are designed at 21m wide.
The overall pit slope angles in the final stage of pit design vary between 34° and 45°, including allowances for pit access ramps.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Projected Production:
Commodity | Product | Units | Avg. Annual | LOM |
P2O5
|
Acid
|
kt
| 78 | 2,813 |
Nd2O3+Pr6O11
|
Oxide
|
t
| ...... | ...... |
Middle Rare Earth Oxides
|
|
t
| ...... | ...... |
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | |
Annual production capacity
| ...... |
Annual processing capacity
| ...... |
Tonnes processed, LOM
| ...... |
* According to 2021 study.
Reserves at March 16, 2020:
Cut-off grade at 1% TREO.
Mineral Resources is unchanged from 7 June 2017.
Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Proven
|
5 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
3 %
|
Proven
|
5 Mt
|
P2O5
|
13 %
|
Probable
|
24.6 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
2.8 %
|
Probable
|
24.6 Mt
|
P2O5
|
13 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
29.5 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
2.9 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
29.5 Mt
|
P2O5
|
13 %
|
Measured
|
4.9 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
3.2 %
|
Measured
|
4.9 Mt
|
P2O5
|
13 %
|
Indicated
|
30 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
2.7 %
|
Indicated
|
30 Mt
|
P2O5
|
12 %
|
Inferred
|
21 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
2.3 %
|
Inferred
|
21 Mt
|
P2O5
|
10 %
|
Total Resource
|
56 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
2.6 %
|
Total Resource
|
56 Mt
|
P2O5
|
11 %
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | Average |
Credits (by-product)
|
Nd2O3+Pr6O11
|
USD
|
......
|
Cash costs
|
Nd2O3+Pr6O11
|
USD
|
......
|
Cash costs
|
Nd2O3+Pr6O11
|
USD
|
......
|
Assumed price
|
Nd2O3+Pr6O11
|
USD
|
......
|
* According to 2021 study / presentation.
† Net of By-Product.
2021 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :
Metrics | Units | LOM Total |
Pre-Production capital costs
|
$M AUD
|
......
|
After-tax NPV @ 8%
|
$M AUD
|
......
|
After-tax IRR, %
|
|
......
|
After-tax payback period, years
|
|
......
|
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