• Data Access
  • Your Email  
  • Your Email  
Keep me signed in.
Forgot your password?
Close
  • Forgot Your Password?
  • Enter the email you signed up with and we'll email it to you.
  • Your Email  
Close
Back
MDO
Mining Data Solutions
  • Home
  • Database
  • Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Sign In
Australia
Thunderbird Project

This page is not tailored to
devices with screen width under 750 px.
 Location:
67 km W from Derby, Western Australia, Australia

  Project Contacts:
Level 2, 41 – 47 Colin Street West Perth
Perth
Western Australia, Australia
6005
Phone  ...  Subscription required
Fax+61-8-6555-8787
EmailEmail
WebsiteWeb
Additional Resources for Suppliers & Investors
Drill results over 30 g/t Au
Stay on top of recent discoveries.
Search drill results by commodity and grade.
Largest mines in the Americas
Mining and mill throughput capaciites.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Deepest underground mines
Shaft depth and mill throughput data.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Heavy mobile equipment
HME type, model, size and quantity.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Permitting and construction projects
Projects at the permitting or construction stage. Full profiles of select projects.
Mines with remote camps
Camp size, mine location and contacts.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Mines & projects in Australia
A list of country's mines and projects.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

Thank you for browsing through mine profiles compiled by the Mining Data Online team.

Would you like to subcribe or schedule a Demo?
  • Name:
     
  • Company:
     
  • Position:
     
  • Phone:
  • Email:
  • Message:

Overview

StageConstruction
Mine TypeOpen Pit
Commodities
  • Zircon
  • Ilmenite
  • Heavy Minerals
  • Titanium dioxide
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start...
Mine Life36 years (as of Jan 1, 2022)
Latest NewsSheffield Resources Limited: Thunderbird Construction 85% Complete     May 24, 2023


Owners

Source: p. 1
CompanyInterestOwnership
Sheffield Resources Ltd. 50 % Indirect
YGH Australia Investment Pty Ltd. 50 % Indirect
Kimberley Mineral Sands Joint Venture (KMSJV) is a 50/50 joint venture between Sheffield Resources Limited (Sheffield) and YGH Australia Investment Pty Ltd (Yansteel), formed to develop the Thunderbird Mineral Sands Project.

Contractors

Subscription required - Subscription is required.


Deposit Type

  • Mineral sands


Summary:

Thunderbird is the first significant mineral sand deposit to be discovered in the Phanerozoic Canning Basin, and is one of the largest and highest grade mineral sands deposits globally, including those currently in production. The Thunderbird deposit formed during an Early Cretaceous marine regression and is hosted by highly weathered Broome Sandstone.

Mineralisation occurs as a thick, broad sheet like body striking northwest, extending from surface to a maximum known depth of 155m over an area at least 11km by 7km. These extents have not been closed off with mineralisation remaining open to the north, south and west. The average depth to top of the main body of mineralisation is 24m and the average mineralised thickness 45m. The deposit is flatlying along the north-eastern flank, but with a dip steepening to 4°along the south-western flank.

Enclosed within the Thunderbird formation is a continuous, very-high grade heavy minerals (>7.5%) zone named the “GT Zone”. This zone is up to 43m thick (average 15m) over an area at least 9km by 7km, strikes approximately north-south, follows the dip of the Thunderbird formation and is open along strike to the south and north.


Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader


Summary:

Thunderbird is a typical dry-mining mineral sand operation whereby a moving void extracts the valuable mineral sands, with waste materials returned to the void enabling progressive rehabilitation of the mined area. Topsoil and overburden are excavated and transported using truck and excavator. Ore is excavated, screened, slurried and then pumped to a nearby wet concentration plant. Retaining cells are constructed in the developed mine void for the return of process tails. Topsoil is returned in a continuous rehabilitation process. As the mining void is established, increasing amounts of overburden are mined and directly returned to the mining void as backfill.

Conventional open pit bulk dry mining techniques have been chosen for ore mining, incorporating dozer traps and in-pit feed preparation units (“Mining Unit Plant” or “MUP”). Initially one MUP is scheduled, with an additional MUP scheduled from year five of operations. The selected mining method is considered appropriate and has been trialled through the full thickness of the orebody by two trial mining programs in late 2020 and mid-2021 and is suited to the large, relatively thick and sheet-like characteristics of the orebody. Minimal pre-strip is required to access the orebody with topsoil and overburden being excavated, hauled and stockpiled using conventional earthmoving equipment. Following mining and feed preparation, the ore will be slurried and pumped to a nearby wet concentration plant (WCP).


Crushing and Grinding


Processing

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

- subscription is required.


Projected Production:
Thunderbird will produce three mineral sand products:
1) An ilmenite rich magnetic concentrate;
2) A zircon rich non-magnetic concentrate; and
3) A paramagnetic concentrate containing high value titanium minerals and rare earths.

CommodityUnitsAvg. Annual
Zircon kt 279
Ilmenite kt  ......  Subscription required
Titanium dioxide kt  ......  Subscription required
All production numbers are expressed as concentrate.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics
Annual mining rate  ......  Subscription required
Annual ore mining rate  ......  Subscription required
* According to 2022 study.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at March 24, 2022:
The Mineral Resource reported above 7.5% HM cut-off.

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Proven 239 Mt Zircon 0.96 %
Proven 239 Mt Ilmenite 3.4 %
Proven 239 Mt Heavy Minerals 12.9 % 31 Mt
Probable 514 Mt Zircon 0.79 %
Probable 514 Mt Ilmenite 2.9 %
Probable 514 Mt Heavy Minerals 10.1 % 52 Mt
Proven & Probable 754 Mt Zircon 0.84 %
Proven & Probable 754 Mt Ilmenite 3.1 %
Proven & Probable 754 Mt Heavy Minerals 11 % 83 Mt
Measured 220 Mt Zircon 1.07 %
Measured 220 Mt Ilmenite 3.9 %
Measured 220 Mt Heavy Minerals 14.5 % 32 Mt
Indicated 640 Mt Zircon 0.9 %
Indicated 640 Mt Ilmenite 3.3 %
Indicated 640 Mt Heavy Minerals 11.8 % 76 Mt
Inferred 180 Mt Zircon 0.87 %
Inferred 180 Mt Ilmenite 3 %
Inferred 180 Mt Heavy Minerals 10.8 % 20 Mt
Total Resource 1,050 Mt Zircon 0.93 %
Total Resource 1,050 Mt Ilmenite 3.3 %
Total Resource 1,050 Mt Heavy Minerals 12.2 % 127 Mt

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnitsAverage
Assumed price Zircon USD  ......  Subscription required&nbs
* According to 2022 study / presentation.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operating Costs:

Units2022
OP mining costs ($/t milled) AUD 4.53 *
Processing costs ($/t milled) AUD  ......  Subscription required
G&A ($/t milled) AUD  ......  Subscription required
Total operating costs ($/t milled) AUD  ......  Subscription required
* According to 2022 study.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

2022 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Initial CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
Sustaining CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
OP OpEx $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
Processing OpEx $M AUD 2,287
Transportation (haulage) costs $M AUD 1,198
G&A costs $M AUD 907
Total OpEx $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
Royalty payments $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
Gross revenue (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
Net revenue (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
EBITDA (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M AUD  ......  Subscription required
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscription required
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.


Proposed Heavy Mobile Equipment as of March 24, 2022:
HME TypeModelSizeQuantityLeased or
Contractor
Bulldozer ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 15, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 15, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 15, 2022
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

Total WorkforceYear
Subscription required 2022

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
Annual Report 2022
Corporate Presentation 2022
Fact Sheet 2022
Feasibility Study Report 2022
Press Release 2022
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
Feasibility Study Report 2017
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Sheffield Resources Limited: Thunderbird Construction 85% Complete May 24, 2023

Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Terms of Use Privacy Policy © 2017-2023 MDO Data Online Inc.