Overview
| Stage | Production |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Production Start | ...  |
| Mine Life | 2035 |
Savage River consists of North Pit and Centre Pit and one previously mined pit (South Deposit) which is not yet planned to be mined as part of the Life Of Mine Plan.
During 2021 a Pre-feasibility Study (PFS) was completed on underground mining of the North Pit Resources. The study concluded that underground mining was technically and economically viable.
A Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) is planned to commence in 2022. A declaration of an underground Ore Reserve has not yet been made and is dependent on the outcomes of the DFS and integration with the open pit mining schedules. |
Source:
p. 28
Grange Resources Ltd. indirectly owns 100% interest in the Savage River mine through it's wholly owned subsidiary Grange Resources Tasmania Ltd.
Contractors
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Summary:
The Savage River magnetite deposit lies within and near the eastern margin of the Proterozoic Arthur Metamorphic Complex in north western Tasmania. This complex is exposed along a northeastsouthwest trending structural corridor, the Arthur Lineament, which separates Proterozoic sedimentary rocks to the northwest from a variety of Palaeozoic rocks to the southeast.
The magnetite deposits at Savage River represent the largest of a series of discontinuous lenses that extend in a narrow belt for some 25 kilometres south of the Savage River Township. The deposit is subdivided into sections on the basis of areas that have been mined. The areas are referred to as North Pit, South Lens, Centre Pit, Centre Pit Southern Extension and South Deposit.
Magnetite ore is almost entirely enclosed within a highly sheared and strike-faulted belt of mafic and ultramafic rocks specifically serpentinite and talc-carbonate schist. The magnetite ranges in thickness from 40 to 150 metres in width and is termed the Main Ore Zone (MOZ). Narrow (<20metre) lenses and layers also occur in the mafic sequence to the west. The mafic sequence comprises chlorite-calcite albite schist and layered green amphibole chlorite-albite schist.
A suite of late, strongly deformed metabasalt and metadolerite intrusive dykes occur either sub-parallel to or cut obliquely across the MOZ. Vein magnesite occurs adjacent to the MOZ with significant bodies developed in the east at South Lens and ........
Summary:
The mine comprises three principal open pits - North, Central and South Pits - Oriented north-south covering a 4km strike length and separated by unmined zones of thin or low grade material. Centre Pit is separated from North Pit by the Savage River which runs through a pillar area left to retain the river channel. The pits average 100-150m in depth - the proposed cut back and extensions will deepen them by up to a further 250m.
Mining activities in the open pit involve the use of conventional off - highway rear-dump trucks and hydraulic excavators, with drilling and blasting being used to prepare the ground ahead of mining. Grade control sampling is conducted on all blast holes within the orebody, as well as on selected holes around the periphery.
Source:
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Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Production:
| Commodity | Product | Units | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Iron (magnetite)
|
Concentrate
|
kt
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 2,276 | 1,960 | 2,397 |
|
Iron (magnetite)
|
Pellets
|
t
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 2,185,627 | 1,895,180 | 2,378,486 |
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Operational Metrics:
| Metrics | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Ore tonnes mined
| ...... | 1,384,744 bcm | 2,108,370 bcm | 1,050,067 bcm | 1,193,821 bcm | 1,218,363 bcm |
|
Total tonnes mined
| ...... | 15,567,158 bcm | 14,462,931 bcm | 14,730,697 bcm | 12,461,515 bcm | 9,514,884 bcm |
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Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Savage River Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource Estimate:
• Elemental compositions were measured from Davis Tube Concentrate;
• Cut-off grade: 15% DTR:
• Stockpiles were included in this summary table.
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
|
Proven
|
61.6 Mt
|
DTR
|
51.1 %
|
|
Proven
|
61.6 Mt
|
Iron
|
67.7 %
|
|
Probable
|
41.5 Mt
|
DTR
|
41.4 %
|
|
Probable
|
41.5 Mt
|
Iron
|
67.7 %
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
103.1 Mt
|
DTR
|
47.2 %
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
103.1 Mt
|
Iron
|
67.7 %
|
|
Measured
|
167.7 Mt
|
DTR
|
52.7 %
|
|
Measured
|
167.7 Mt
|
Iron
|
67.9 %
|
|
Indicated
|
176.9 Mt
|
DTR
|
43 %
|
|
Indicated
|
176.9 Mt
|
Iron
|
68.1 %
|
|
Inferred
|
141.2 Mt
|
DTR
|
39.7 %
|
|
Inferred
|
141.2 Mt
|
Iron
|
68.9 %
|
|
Total Resource
|
485.8 Mt
|
DTR
|
45.4 %
|
|
Total Resource
|
485.8 Mt
|
Iron
|
68.3 %
|
Source:
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