Mine Details
Wilgerup
hematite,
Phone:
Address:
Unit 1102, 147 Pirie Street, Adeleaide, SA, 5000
State: Unit 1102, 147 Pirie Street, Adeleaide, SA, 5000
Email:
The Wilgerup iron ore mining project, that is located in the Central Eyre Peninsular in South Australia, hosts a DSO hematite iron ore deposit that has a defined 13.3 million tonnes indicated resource grading at 57.7 percent iron. The South Australian government has given its approval for the mine owner, Centrex Metals, to proceed to production stage. Ore from the mine will be transported 110 kilometres by road to the Spencer Gulf for export. The Wilgerup project is the 18th mine licenced to operate in South Australia, a reflection of the state's growing resource industry. Particularly that of the Eyre Peninsular which is fast becoming a significant iron ore
province.
Wilgerup Mine Production Delayed While Awaiting Port Development Decision
Centrex Metals has kept development of the Wilgerup mine on hold while awaiting the development of a commodities export port to be constructed 20 kilometres north of Tumby Bay at Sheep Hill.
The original plans to build a deepwater port at Port Spencer to facilitate the exporting of various mineral and agricultural products from the Eyre Peninsular, including the DSO (direct shipping ore) from the Wilgerup mine, could be changed in favour of a transhipment option, a system that is working successfully for CSL at Whyalla.
Transhipment Could Significantly Reduce Wilgerup Start-up Costs
Feasibility studies have shown that start up costs to develop the Wilgerup mine could be significantly reduced if the transhipment option was accepted. Centrex Metals had initial plans to develop a deepwater ship loading facility at Port Spencer that would feature the construction of a 515 metre long jetty capable of handling Cape-class vessels, irrespective of the tide at the time. However, the latest feasibility study has suggested an alternative and cheaper option could be the use of the transhipment system of shiploading.
Transhipment is a system of shiploading that uses smaller vessels to shuttle back and forth between a loading facility near the shore and a larger vessel moored out in deeper water. The adoption of this type of shiploading facility would only require a jetty of no more than 200 metres, 315 metres less than what would be required otherwise. The system used by CSL at Whyalla uses self-powered, self docking vessels that take the place of the traditional barge and tug method. If fact it completely eliminates the need for tug boats altogether.
The transhipment system proposed to be used at Port Spencer would see the transhipper load cape-class vessels anchored in 23 metres of water about one nautical mile offshore. It is considered that 23 metres would be a sufficient depth to allow larger vessels to be loaded there in the future, if required. The transhipper would also be available to load the smaller Panamax-class vessels used for the export of grain.
The Wilgerup iron ore mine is expected to produce between one million and 1.5 million tonnes of DSO hematite iron ore annually for up to seven years. It is expected the mine will begin production in late 2014 or early 2015.
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