Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Dragline
|
Processing |
- Dewatering
- Wash plant
- Sulfuric acid (reagent)
- Acid plant
- Calcining
- Flotation
|
Mine Life | 2050 |
Source:
p. 6
Mining Methods
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Dragline
Summary:
Nutrien extract phosphate ore using surface mining techniques. At each minesite, the ore is mixed with recycled water to form a slurry, which is pumped from the mine site to processing facilities.
[https://minedocs.com/20/NutrienLtd_AIF_2019.pdf P.15]
Because the ore lies about 120 feet below the surface, mining occurs in two stages:
-First, about 45 feet of sand and clay, called overburden, is removed.
-Then, the three draglines dig the remaining 80 feet of overburden so they can mine the ore below.
Processing
- Dewatering
- Wash plant
- Sulfuric acid (reagent)
- Acid plant
- Calcining
- Flotation
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
Phosphate ore is pumped through a pipeline to processing, which includes: screening, washing, floating, dewatering and calcination, if required, to create phosphate rock.
At each mine site, the ore is mixed with recycled water to form a slurry, which is pumped from the mine site to our processing facilities. The ore is then screened to remove coarse materials, washed to remove clay and floated to remove sand to produce phosphate “rock” [2019 AIF, p. 15]
Phosphate rock is the major input in our phosphorus processing operations. Substantially all the phosphate rock produced is used internally for the production of phosphoric acid, SPA, chemical fertilizers, purified phosphoric acid and animal feed products.[2019 AIF, p. 15]
Phosphoric acid – the feedstock for all our phosphate products – is produced from phosphate rock by the addition of concentrated sulfuric acid.
Purchased sulfur is converted into sulfuric acid.
Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Phosphate rock
|
Head Grade, %
| 28.3 | 25.8 | 26 |
Reserves at December 31, 2017:
The Mineral Reserves as at 31th December 2019 at Aurora mine are unchanged from Dec 31, 2017.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Proven
|
92.6 Mt
|
P2O5
|
30.66 %
|
Probable
|
39.7 Mt
|
P2O5
|
30.66 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
132.3 Mt
|
P2O5
|
30.66 %
|
Financials:
| Units | 2015 |
Capital expenditures
|
M USD
|
15.5
|
Heavy Mobile Equipment as of March 28, 2016:
HME Type | Quantity |
Dragline
|
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|
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