Nelson bay river

The first shipment of iron ore from the Nelson Bay River mine will be leaving the Burnie port in North West Tasmania on January 25 or 26. The 41,000 tonnes of iron ore has already been delivered to the port to await the arrival of the ore carrier Livanita.

Nelson Bay River Mine is Australia's Latest Iron Ore Exporter

The shipment is a victory for Shree Minerals which had to overcome substantial opposition to the Nelson Bay River mine going ahead, as it had to contend with considerable environmental opposition and problems associated with it obtaining govermental approvals. All this is behind the company and now it's Nelson Bay River mine is Australia's latest iron ore producer.

Nelson Bay River Ore on Burnie Wharf Waiting Shipping

Besides the 41,000 tonnes of iron ore it has stockpiled on the Burnie port, Shree Minerals has also got a further 15,000 tonnes stockpiled at the Nelson Bay River mine site. The ore ready to leave the Burnie port consists of 60 percent iron ore lumps and 40 percent iron ore fines.

Nelson Bay River Mine has an Expected Life of 10 Years

The Nelson Bay River mine is located around seven kilometres north east of Temma on the west coast of Tasmania, 70 kilometres south west of Smithton. Shree Minerals began mining at the Nelson Bay River mine in November 2013, at its direct shipping ore (DSO) south pit. This pit has an iron ore resource of 650,000 tonnes grading at 56.7 percent iron. The total iron ore resource at the mine is 870,000 tonnes grading at 57.7 percent iron. The next stage of development at the Nelson Bay River mine will include the mining of a second open cut located above the main magnetite orebody. Stage one has involved the mining of a hematite oxide cap that consists of a central DSO ore that is surrounded by ore of a lower grade but still regarded as having the potential to be able to produce a commercial beneficiated oxide ore. The next stage will be the production of a BFO (benefication feed ore) before mining the magnetite resource. This approach will give the mine a life of between nine and ten years. More if ongoing exploration proves to be successful.

Nelson Bay River Mine Owned by Shree Minerals

Shree Minerals, the owner and operator of the Nelson Bay River iron ore mine, is developing the first greenfield mine to be established in Tasmania for a number of years. The Nelson Bay River mine was originally given the 'all clear' from the then Federal Government Environment Minister to develop the mine in the last disease free habitat of the rare Tasmanian Devil. For this reason a federal court upheld a claim lodged by a group calling itself ìSave the Tarkineî that the minister had not properly considered conservation advice regarding the endangered species. The court ruled the ministers approval as being invalid.

Minister Steps in to Save Nelson Bay River Iron ore Project

The Tasmanian state government stepped in on behalf of Shree Minerals and requested the minister's office to reconsider the project taking into account the conservation report dealing with its effect on the Tasmanian devil. The minister reviewed the approval in a new light as requested and found no adverse effect would be caused to the Tasmanian devil and therefore the application should be approved.