Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Eneabba Mine

Click for more information
Australia

Eneabba Mine

Location: 229 km N from Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Project Contacts:

Level 17, 240 St Georges Terrace
Perth
Western Australia, Australia
6000

Contacts:

Additional Resources for Suppliers & Investors

Categories

Summary

Mine TypeTailings
Study in ProgressFeasibility
StageRestarting
Commodities
  • REE
  • Ilmenite
  • Zircon
  • Rutile
  • Monazite
  • Xenotime
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Project Timeline... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotIluka is developing Australia’s first fully integrated refinery for separated rare earth oxides, including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium. The refinery processes rare earth minerals from Iluka’s current and future mineral sands mines, enhancing their economic value.

The Eneabba Rare Earths Refinery consists of two phases, with a third phase under construction. During 2024, procurement, engineering, equipment fabrication, and site works contracts progressed, while infrastructure upgrades, including high-voltage powerlines and office buildings, continued.

Following funding discussions, the refinery’s economics were reviewed, incorporating three development scenarios. Construction activities are ongoing.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Iluka Resources Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Iluka Rare Earths Pty Ltd holds a sublease of Mining Lease M267SA from Iluka Eneabba Pty Ltd and M70/821 from Iluka Midwest Pty Ltd. Iluka Rare Earths Pty Ltd, Iluka Eneabba Pty Ltd and Iluka Midwest Pty Ltd are wholly owned subsidiaries of Iluka Resources Limited.

Contractors

Lock

- subscription is required.

SourceSource

Deposit type

  • Tailings

Summary:

The Eneabba Mineral Separation Plant (MSP) By-Product Mineral Resource is located within the Perth Basin however the material is made up of mineral sands by-product from Iluka’s Narngulu MSP. Being a minerals sands stockpile there is no geological structure. The stockpile physically presents as a fine grained sand and is approximately 300m in length, 150 wide and varies from 1 to 15m in thickness. The fine grained, dark brown to black material is easily distinguishable from the yellow clayey sand it resides on.

A half to one meter cap of orange brown, gravelly, clayey sand covers the resource. A mixed zone of the by-product and capping immediately below the capping with high HM grade in combination with elevated slimes and oversize is recognised, being defined in the resource estimation and reporting.

The tailings material comprises a mixture of ilmenite, staurolite, aluminosilicates, zircon and the rare earth bearing mineral ‘monazite’, a naturally-occurring radioactive material (NORM).

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Commodity Production

CommodityProductUnits20212020Avg. Annual
REE Oxide in concentrate kt 12
Nd2O3+Pr6O11 Oxide in concentrate kt 2.7

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
Cash costs Total Rare Earth Oxides USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Nd2O3+Pr6O11 USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Total Rare Earth Oxides USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study / presentation.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 25, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 25, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 25, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 25, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 24, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 25, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 25, 2025

Workforce

Total WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2022

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.