Overview
Stage | Permitting |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Dry mining
|
Mine Life | 15 years (as of Jan 1, 2023) |
The objective of the Cape Flattery Silica Sand (CFS) Project is to extract high purity silica sand, a critical mineral to supply the fast-growing solar panel manufacturing industry.
On the 15 December 2023 the Metallica Minerals received approval from the Office of the Co-Ordinator General that the Cape Flattery Silica project meets the criteria for a coordinated project under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971.
The Project approval application process is underway. |
Source:
p. 88
The Cape Flattery Silica Sands Project is held by Metallica Minerals Ltd through subsidiary company Cape Flattery Silica Pty Ltd.
Contractors
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Summary:
The Cape Flattery Silica (CFS) Sand Project is a large surface deposit of overlying sand dunes that lies in the northern most part of the Quaternary age Cape Flattery—Cape Bedford dunefield complex.
The geology comprises variably re-worked aeolian sand (silica) dune deposits associated with Quaternary age sand-dune complex. The mineralisation is high grade quartz (silica) and it occurs as sand deposits within an aeolian dune complex.
Cape Flattery Silica Mines, which also lies at the northern end of the dune field, has been in operation since 1967 and is Queensland’s largest producer of world class silica and the highest production of silica sand of any mine in the world.
The linear sand dunes developed predominantly during the dry Pleistocene glacial and interglacial periods when the sea-level receded and fluctuated approx. 100m below present. Prior to sea level rises in the Holocene (10,000 years before present) sand was blown inland by the prevailing south-easterly winds to form linear dunes and is now interspersed with numerous lakes and swamps. The land sand masses form mainly as elongate parabolic and longitudinal dunes. Multiple episodes of dune building are evident. Most dunes are stabilised by vegetation, but some active dune fronts occur. Periods of water level table fluctuations, erosion and depositional phases have occurred.
Silica sand mineralisation occurs as aeolian dune sands.
Dimensions
The exten ........
Mining Methods
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Dry mining
Summary:
The Cape Flattery deposit is amenable to open-cut mining methods with a rubber tyred front end loader (FEL) and slurry pumping extraction method. The material to be mined is free-flowing silica sand of up to 37m thickness.
No benches have been stipulated due to the 30 degree batter angle and relatively low depth of excavation at the pit boundaries, the deepest portions of excavation are central to the pits where mining daylights on either side.
Grade control at a 40 x 40m grid on average (varying between 20 x 20m to 60 x 60m) has been assumed premining to assist with pit optimisation.
The lack of overburden and relatively limited waste blocks (8% of total pit void) resulted in a limited overall gain from detailed pit optimization. Therefore the pit design was primarily based on the maximum allowable extents of the orebody based on environmental and other constraints rather than strip ratio.
For all areas of Interburden low grade silica sand (LGSS), a 1.0m buffer of waste has been added to the top and bottom surfaces of the Interburden lense during modelling. This additional material represents mining loss to waste. Approximately 1.2Mt of this mining loss has been specified, which as a proportion of the total LGSS is 31%, or approximately 2.5% of the total Ore Reserve.
A 100% mining recovery is assumed for material other than waste or mining loss in the model, due to simplistic extraction process from loader to Dry Mining ........
Source:
Summary:
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Source:
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Projected Production:
Commodity | Units | Avg. Annual | LOM |
Silica
|
Mt
| 2.5 | 38 |
All production numbers are expressed as sand.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | |
Annual ore mining rate
| ...... |
Annual production capacity
| ...... |
Annual processing capacity
| ...... |
Waste tonnes, LOM
| ...... |
Ore tonnes mined, LOM
| ...... |
Tonnes processed, LOM
| ...... |
* According to 2023 study.
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Reserves at July 17, 2023:
An initial cut-off grade of 98.5% silica.
Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Probable
|
47 Mt
|
Silica
|
99.11 %
|
Measured
|
16.1 Mt
|
Silica
|
99.2 %
|
Indicated
|
33.2 Mt
|
Silica
|
99.05 %
|
Inferred
|
0.2 Mt
|
Silica
|
99 %
|
Total Resource
|
49.5 Mt
|
Silica
|
99.1 %
|
Mine Management:
Job Title | Name | Profile | Ref. Date |
.......................
|
.......................
|
|
Feb 21, 2024
|
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Staff:
Employees | Year |
|
2023
|
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