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Hawsons Iron Project

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Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit
Study CompletedPrefeasibility
Commodities
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotBased on the positive outcomes of the Reserves-focused 2025 Pre-Feasibility Study, Hawsons is well placed to become a new iron ore producer through the development of the Hawsons Iron Project producing magnetite concentrate.

The Feasibility Study (FS) is planned for the first half of 2026.

The plan for the FS will be to expand the Reserve by infill drilling and to also include a significant portion of remaining Mineral Resources thereby potentially adding to the final life of mine period.

The Byproduct test work will utilise the information derived from earlier test work. Having established the technical capability to extract non-magnetite iron from Hawsons ore, process options will be reviewed with the ultimate aim of proving financial viability with potential integration into the 2026 Feasibility Study.

This FS will support the finalisation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to enable development approval from the NSW Government, Development Consent.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Hawsons Iron Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
The Hawsons Iron project is 100% owned by Hawsons Iron Ltd.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Iron formation hosted

Summary:

The Hawsons Project is situated within the Braemer Formation extending through NSW and SA.

The latest drilling in 2023-2024 confirmed nearsurface mineralization (0-150 m depth) with grades =9% DTR in the Fold area.

The Braemar Iron Formation is the host stratigraphy and comprises a series of strike extensive magnetite-bearing siltstones generally with a moderate dip (circa -55°), primarily to the southwest. The airborne magnetic data clearly indicates the magnetite siltstones as a series of parallel, high amplitude magnetic anomalies. Large areas of the Hawsons prospective stratigraphy are concealed by transported ferricrete and other younger cover. The base of oxidation due to weathering over the prospective horizons is estimated to average 80m from surface.

The Hawsons project comprises a number of prospects including the Core, Fold, T-Limb, South Limb and Wonga deposits. Mineral Resources have been generated for the Core and Fold areas, which are contiguous.

The depositional environment for the Braemar Iron Formation is believed to be i n a subsiding basin, with initial rapid subsidence related to rifting possibly in a graben setting as indicated by the occurrence of diamictites in the lower part of the sequence (Unit 2). A possible sag phase of cyclical subsidence followed with deposition of finer grained sediments with more consistent bed thicknesses, style and clast composition (Unit 3), as compared to the diamictite units. The transition from high (Unit 2) to lower (Unit 3) energy sediment deposition is marked by top of the Interbed Unit.

The distribution of disseminated, inclusion-free magnetite in the Braemar Iron Formation at Hawsons is related to the composition and nature of the sedimentary beds. The idioblastic nature of the of the magnetite is believed due to one or more of a range of possible processes including in situ recrystallisation of primary detrital grains, chemical precipitation from seawater, or permeation of iron-rich metamorphic fluids associated with regional greenschist metamorphism. Grain size generally ranges from 10microns to 0.2mm but tends to average around the 40 microns. The sediment composition and grain size appear to provide the main control on the mineralisation. There is no evidence for structural control in the form of veins or veinlets coupled with the lack of a strong structural fabric.

In the majority of the Core and Fold deposits the units strike southeast and dip between 45° and 65° to the south west. The eastern part of the Fold deposit comprises a relatively tight synclinal fold structure resulting in a 90° strike rotation.

The mineralisation is stratabound as disseminated grains of magnetite associated with variable interstitial porosity of the clastic sediments with no obvious structural remobilisation or overprint. Mineralisation exhibits relatively poor downhole continuity with zones of variable magnetite grade (a function of the clastic grain size and composition) but in most instances the contacts between higher and lower grade mineralisation are gradational and precludes the use of hard boundaries as stratigraphic controls to mineral grade interpolation.

Dimensions
The Mineral Resources have a strike length of around 3.3km in a south easterly direction. The plan width of the resource varies from 700m to 1.9km with an average of around 1.1km (noting the relatively moderate dip angle of the beds). The upper limit of the mineralisation is exposed in the SE of the deposit with the fresh rock generally occurring between 25 and 80m below surface (average 65m) and the lower limit of the Mineral Resource extends to an approximate depth of 550m below surface (-360mRL).

The lower limit to the Mineral Resource is a direct function of the depth limitations to the drilling in conjunction with the search parameters. The mineralisation is open at depth and to the south beyond the Fold area (i.e. the South Limb).

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Comminution

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Processing

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Water usage

Parameter2025
Groundwater 12 G l/year

Commodity Production

The overall magnetite losses through the process plant are estimated to be 5%, or 95% of the DTR Feed grade values.
CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
* According to 2025 study.

Operational metrics

Metrics
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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 2025 study.

Production Costs

CommodityAverage
Total cash costs Iron (magnetite)  ....  Subscribe
C1 cash costs Iron (magnetite)  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Iron (magnetite)  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2025 study / presentation.

Operating Costs

CurrencyAverage
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Processing costs ($/t milled) AUD  ....  Subscribe
G&A ($/t milled) AUD  ....  Subscribe
Total operating costs ($/t milled) AUD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2025 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
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Closure costs $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Gross revenue (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax NPV @ 8% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
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Pre-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 21, 2026
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 22, 2026

Workforce

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