Overview
| Stage | Permitting |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Mine Life | 38 years (as of Jan 1, 2021) |
The Nolans Project will encompass a mine, process plant (comprising beneficiation, extraction and separation plants) and related infrastructure to be constructed and located at the Nolans site, 135 kilometres north of Alice Springs in Australia’s Northern Territory. |
| Latest News | Arafura Rare Earths calls for $120m December 2, 2022 |
Source:
p. 16
In July 2020, the Northern Territory Government granted the Mineral Leases (MLs) for the Nolans NdPr Project to Arafura Rare Earths Pty Ltd (ARE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Arafura Resources Limited.
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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Reserves at March 16, 2020:
Cut-off grade at 1% TREO.
Mineral Resources is unchanged from 7 June 2017.
| 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
|
...... &nbs
|
|
Cash costs
|
Nd2O3+Pr6O11
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
|
Cash costs
|
Nd2O3+Pr6O11
|
USD
|
...... *†
|
|
Assumed price
|
Nd2O3+Pr6O11
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
* According to 2021 study / presentation.
† Net of By-Product.
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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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