Overview

Mine Type	Open Pit
Status	Active
Commodities	Zircon Ilmenite Heavy Minerals Leucoxene
Mining Method	Truck & Shovel / Loader Dry mining
Production Start	...
Mine Life	...
Snapshot	Thunderbird is one of the largest and highest-grade zircon mineral sands deposits in the world and contains valuable heavy minerals including ilmenite, zircon, and leucoxene which are extracted and exported via the Port of Broome to our global offtake partners. Construction activities at Thunderbird were completed during the 2024 financial year in line with schedule and budget. First ore production occurred ahead of schedule in October 2023. The maiden shipment of Thunderbird products to customers was completed in January 2024, with the first bulk shipment departing Broome in March 2024 completing the transition of Sheffield Resources into a mineral sands producer.

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

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Processing

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Production

Commodity	Units	2024
Zircon	kt	....
Ilmenite	kt	....
Leucoxene	kt	....
Titanium dioxide	kt

Operational metrics

Metrics	2024
Ore tonnes mined	....
Waste	....
Tonnes processed	....

Personnel

Job Title	Name	Profile	Ref. Date
.......................	.......................		Dec 6, 2024
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Total Workforce	Year
......	2024