Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Coburn Mine

Click for more information

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Ilmenite
  • Zircon
  • Rutile
  • Heavy Minerals
Mining Method
  • Dry mining
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotCoburn is one of the largest and most capital-efficient mineral sands (zircon and titanium rich deposit) projects in the world, with an exceptional zircon-titanium product suite, low costs and ability to generate strong financial returns.

During the first half of the financial year (HY2024), commissioning of the Mineral Separation Plant (MSP) continued. With HMC production being limited, the MSP was not operated continuously, and this impacted the ability to ramp-up and optimise the MSP. Commissioning of the MSP was suspended during the latter half of HY2024 to focus on quality HMC production at the WCP.

Coburn Project Expansion
During the 2023 year, Strandline Resources progressed a scoping study on the potential to increase Coburn’s production rate by up to 50%.

The study is targeting to increase total HMC production to +320,000 tonnes per annum. A fourth Dozer Mining Unit and additional WCP modules are being contemplated for the expansion.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Strandline Resources Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Strandline Resources operates the 100%-owned Coburn Mineral Sands Project. Coburn Resources Pty Ltd is 100% fully owned subsidiary of Strandline.

Contractors

Lock

- subscription is required.

Deposit type

  • Mineral sands

Summary:

Coburn is a world-scale mineral sands deposit, containing a rich zircon-titanium HM assemblage, with 20Mt of in-situ HM, low slimes, low oversize and strong geological continuity across and along strike.

-Coburn’s Amy deposit was discovered in 2000 after prospectors identified that the ancient coastline at Coburn was an ideal trap-site for heavy mineral sands with its characteristic hook shape.

-Mineralisation consists of an accumulation of mainly aeolian sands deposited over a Cretaceous basement of clays, clayey sands and limestone.

-A total of 3 dune sequences containing heavy mineral are recognised across the project area.

-The Amy South mineralisation has a strike length of approximately 27 km, a width up to 3 km and a maximum thickness of approximately 50 metres. Amy North adds a further 6km in strike length.

-IHC Robbins issued (November-2018) JORC compliant Global Mineral Resource estimate of 1.6Bt HM at 1.2% THM (cut-off grade of 0.8%).

-Measured-Indicated resources of 726Mt at 1.3% THM contained in the Amy South deposit (doesn’t include Amy North) have been evaluated as part of the DFS and updated Ore Reserve.

-Amy South deposit comprises an exceptionally rich heavy mineral assemblage of 22% zircon, 12% rutile-leucoxene and 48% lmenite.

-Indicated-Inferred resources extending north and along strike of the Ore Reserve, totals 709Mt at 1.2% THM which have been evaluated in the Mine Life “Extension Case” Scoping Study.

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Production

In 2023, data for Coburn Mine is presented since commencing production on Nov 18, 2022, to June 30, 2023. The assemblage of HMC produced averaging 25% zircon, 44-47% ilmenite, 12% rutile-leucoxene & 16% other – in line with DFS assumptions.
CommodityProductUnits20242023
Heavy Minerals Concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Ilmenite Mineral t
Zircon Mineral t
Zircon Concentrate kt
Rutile HiTi90 t

Operational metrics

Metrics20242023
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Hourly processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Financials

Units20242023
Revenue M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Pre-tax Income M AUD  ....  Subscribe

Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

Lock

- subscription is required.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 5, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 5, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 7, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 5, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 5, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 5, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 7, 2024

EmployeesTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2023
...... Subscription required 2019

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.