China as a leading mineral sandsprocessing and trading company. It isowned 50% by Firback Finance, 26%by PT Arafuna and 24% by othershareholders. It has a marketcapitalisation of A$134 M. The Donaldmine is due on-stream in 2015,generating 950,000 tonnes/y of heavymineral concentrates, which will yield120,000 tonnes/y of zircon and340,000 tonnes/y (TiO2 units) of high-grade TiO2 feedstock. Assuming long-term values of $1330 per tonne forrutile, $200 per tonne for sulfatableilmenite and $2200 per tonne forzircon, Astron estimates that therevenue/cost ratio will be around 2.4 – better than any of its Australianrivals apart from Iluka (2.5), thoughnot as high as TiZir, Senegal (2.9),World Titanium Resources,Madagascar (3.2) or Base Resources,Kenya (4.0). Astron is also makinggood progress with its Niafarangproject in southern Senegal. In fact,the mine here should come on-streamnext year, producing 15,000 tonnes/yof zircon and 82,000 tonnes/y (TiO2units) of TiO2 feedstock.

Mr David Harley (of GunsonResources) provided an update on hiscompany’s Coburn project in WesternAustralia. Subsequent to Mr Harley’spresentation at the November 2011AJM/Informa Conference, the projectparameters have been furtheroptimised. Target outputs are now:49,500 tonnes/y of zircon; 109,000tonnes/y of chlorinatable ilmenite; and23,500 tonnes/y of leucoxene (90%TiO2). Assuming long-term prices of$1715 per tonne for zircon, $338 pertonne for chlorinatable ilmenite and$1430 per tonne for leucoxene (90%TiO2), zircon should generate 65% ofthe project revenue, ilmenite 19% andleucoxene 16%. The net present valueof the Coburn project is assessed at$330 M and the internal rate of returnis assessed at 31.2%. Gunson is stilllooking for a strategic partner to bringits Coburn project to fruition. Onwardsfrom September 2011, it had seemedthat Posco (the South Koreansteelmaker) was going to take a 40%equity stake in the venture, butGunson and Posco terminatednegotiations at the end of March 2013because of a failure to agree oncommercial and financing conditions.In his presentation, Mr Harley cited achlorinatable slag price forecast by

Investec Bank: $730 per tonne in2012, rising to $975 per tonne in 2013and then to $1750 per tonne in 2014.

Mr Tony Fawdon (of DiatremeResources) discussed his company’sproject to develop the Cyclone deposit(straddling the border between SouthAustralia and Western Australia, about500 km north of Eucla). On thecurrent timetable, Diatreme shouldbegin mining here in 2016, with targetoutput at 65,000 tonnes/y of zircon;10,000 tonnes/y of high-gradeleucoxene (86.6% TiO2); and 46,000tonnes/y of standard-grade leucoxene(67.3% TiO2). Diatreme also ownsother mineral sands prospects atElliston and in the Arckaringa Basin,South Australia; Mandora in theCanning Basin region of WesternAustralia; and Cape Bedford andGrays Hill, Queensland.

Mr David Boyd (of SheffieldResources) highlighted his company’sexploration work to date on theThunderbird deposit (100 km west ofDerby on the Dampier Peninsula inthe northwest of Western Australia).Previous presentations by SheffieldResources have outlined the McCallsprospect in the Perth Basin and theYandanooka prospect in the Eneabbaregion. But the focus is now on theThunderbird prospect, where inferredand indicated resources are of theorder of 517 M tonnes of ore,containing 10.1% heavy minerals,effectively: 3.6 M tonnes of zircon,15.2 M tonnes of ilmenite, 2.2 Mtonnes of leucoxene and 800,000tonnes of rutile.

Mr Chris Gale and Mr GeoffBlackburn (of Latin Resources,headquartered in Perth) outlined theircompany’s large coastal beach placerprospect in the Guadalupito district(450 km north of Lima, Peru). Inferredresources on the company’s 26mining concessions in this areaamount to 82 M tonnes of heavyminerals in situ. Development of thisproject is in the early stages atpresent, but by 2020 Guadalupitocould become a significant source ofrutile, ilmenite and zircon, with co-product andalusite.

Other papers presented at theMelbourne Conference included anoverview of mineral sands handlingand loading facilities at the port ofGeraldton, by Mr Peter Klein (of theGeraldton Port Authority); a

discussion of the technologiesemployed at mineral separationplants, by Mr Mark Palmer and MrTom Lawson (of Mineral TechnologiesLtd); mine rehabilitation, based on theGinkgo case in the Murray Basin, byMr Mike Priest (of Cristal Mining);consideration of water supplies atmineral sands mining ventures, by MrGary Meyer (of MWES Consulting);and an analysis of combined energy,resource and water efficiencyprogrammes, by Mr Bob Robinson (ofSinclair Knight Merz). Also, on theTuesday afternoon, there was aninteresting panel discussion facilitatedby Ms Carolyn Balint (of CoffeyEnvironment Services) aroundquestions such as: “How important isyour mine’s local community? Howimportant are relationships withregulators and lawmakers? How doyou manage community expectations,respecting cultural diversity andspiritual beliefs? What is a sociallicence to operate?”

Reg Adams

For those who were unable to attend the event, thepublished papers from the Melbourne Conference areavailable for sale. For details, please contact: Ms KimAldridge, Informa/AJM, PO Box Q1439, Sydney QVB,New South Wales 1230, Australia. Tel: +61 2 90804316. E-mail: kim.aldridge@informa.com.au. Website:http://www.informa.com.au/mineralsands

PLANTSCanada: Environmental Waste Services– carbon black from scrap tyres

Environmental Waste International Inc(EWS, headquartered in Ajax,Ontario) has been successfully testingits patented reverse polymerisationprocess for extracting carbon black,bunker oil and steel products fromscrap tyres at the TR-900 pilot plant atSault Sainte Marie in Ontario. Acontinuous 24-hour run generated4000 pounds (or 1.8 tonnes) ofcarbon black towards the end of May2013.

Original Source: Environmental Waste Services Inc,360 Francom Street, Ajax L1S 1R5, Ontario, Canada,website: http://www.ewi.ca (21 May 2013) © EWS2013

Canada: Kronos – TiO2

On 13 June 2013, Kronos WorldwideInc shut down its Varennes complex

4 JULY 2013

F O C U S O N P I G M E N T S