Pegmatites form the host rock to the Li2O and Ta2O5 mineralisation at Mt Cattlin. It is generally accepted that pegmatites form by a process of fractional crystallisation of an initially granitic composition melt. The fractional crystallisation concentrates incompatible elements, such as light ion lithophile elements and volatiles (such as B, Li, F, P, H2O, and CO2) into the late-stage melt phase. The volatiles lower the viscosity of the melt and reduce the solidification temperature to levels as low as 350 °C to 400 °C. This permits fractional crystallisation to proceed to extreme levels, resulting in highly evolved end-member pegmatites. The fluxing effect of incompatible elements and volatiles allows rapid diffusion rates of ions, resulting in the formation of very large crystals characteristic of pegmatites.

The less dense pegmatitic magma may rise and accumulate at the top of the granitic intrusive body. However, typically the more fractionated pegmatitic melt phases escape into the surrounding country rock along faults or other structures to form pegmatites external to the parent intrusive, which is the case at Mt Cattlin.

Based on apparent mineral assemblages and textures, Mt Cattlin has been categorised as an albitespodumene type with the LCT classification. Moreover, the relatively highly coarse nature of spodumene at Mt Cattlin compared to that of other LCT pegmatites in WA suggests that these pegmatites crystallised from a high-fluxing agent ........

The Mt Cattlin mine currently operates using a conventional open pit mining method to deliver ore to the processing plant from a series of open pits adjacent to the plant facility. The mining method is industry standard involving drilling and blasting of all material before loading and hauling using backhoe excavators and rear dump rigid trucks. The ore and waste rock are drilled and blasted with 10 m high benches, and mined on 2 m to 2.5 m flitches.

Vegetation, topsoil, and overburden is stripped and stockpiled for future reclamation use.

The ore is delivered to a conventional crushing and dense medium separation (DMS) circuit. During mining operations, a portion of the mined ore is diluted with basalt which is considered a contaminant. The processing plant includes a separate circuit during crushing and screening that utilises optical sorters to remove basalt material from the process stream.

Earthmoving operations use a mining contractor to conduct all drilling, blasting, load, haul, and ancillary work for the open-cut mining operation.

The mining fleet configuration is nominally based on the current active mining fleet, which consists of the 360 t, 200 t, and 150 t excavator fleets. Two additional large excavators have also been available on site to provide back-up, undertake ancillary work, and bolster production as needed. The mining fleet configuration is influenced by the production rate, mill throughput, strip ratio and th ........

- subscription is required.

- subscription is required.

- subscription is required.