Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Goschen Project

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Categories

Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit
Study CompletedFeasibility
StagePermitting
Commodities
  • REE
  • Heavy Minerals
  • Zircon
  • Rutile
  • Ilmenite
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
  • Strip mining (roll-over)
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SnapshotThe proposed Goschen Rare Earths and Mineral Sands Project comprises three phases, with the 2023 DFS Refresh only relating to Phases 1 and 1A:
• Phase 1 - production of zircon- titania concentrate, and rare earths mineral concentrate (REMC) products.
• Phase 1A - construction of a hydrometallurgical circuit to convert the REMC into a mixed rare earths carbonate (MREC) product.
• Phase 2 - construction of a mineral separation plant (MSP) to further separate the zircontitania concentrate into final zircon, ilmenite, HiTi rutile and leucoxene mineral products.

As of 31 March 2025, VHM Limited provided the updated of capital and operating costs. VHM intends to commence production at an initial rate of 1.5 Mtpa, with plans to expand. The initial phase is expected to generate operational cash flow to fund the expansion.

Mining Licence received April 2025; Endorsement of the Environment Effects Statement received December 2024; secondary approvals have commenced.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
VHM Limited 100 % Indirect
The Goschen Project is 100% owned by VHM Limited.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Mineral sands

Summary:

The heavy mineral sands at the Goschen Project is a fine-grained deposit hosted within the offshore depositional paleo-environment of the Loxton Parilla Sands. The Loxton-Parilla Sand is common within the Murray Basin and hosts all known mineral sand deposits in the Basin.. Alluvial sediments of the Shepparton Formation have been deposited over the Loxton-Parilla Sand and the Bookpurnong Formation consisting of shallow marine clays and marls is positioned below within the lithological sequence.

Dimensions
The current resource has been defined as being approximately 2,000 m (north-south) on average, and 4,000 m wide east-west). It is approximately 10-12 m thick and is buried by an average of 16 m of overburden.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Commodity Production

The Goschen Project will produce zircon-titania Heavy Mineral concentrate (HMC), Rare Earth Mineral Concentrate (REMC), and a Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC).
CommodityProductUnitsAvg. Annual
REE Carbonate t 8,568
REE Concentrate kt 9.4
Heavy Minerals Concentrate kt 134

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
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Stripping ratio  ....  Subscribe
Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2023 study.

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax NPV @ 8% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneEmailProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 18, 2025
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Workforce

EmployeesYear
...... Subscription required 2023

Aerial view:

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