Dredge and floating concentrator

The floating spiral concentration plant will perform the primary process of separating the heavy minerals from the silica sand. The heavy mineral concentrate (HMC) will then be transported to a mineral separation plant (MSP) and the silica sand, or the tailings, will be deposited at the back of the mine path to allow for the re-establishment of the original land contours. The MSP will be located roughly in the centre of the Mandena deposit. It will use several different mineral separation methods, including gravity, magnetic and electrostatic separation to maximise valuable mineral output. Namely high TiO2 (> 60 per cent) ilmenite, as well as a proportionally smaller amount of zircon/sillimanite/quartz mineral, known as Zirsill.

See also
The deposits
Extraction and separation methods
Mineral separation plant
Process sequence
The mine’s path over the first 25 years
Mine-to-port haul road
The port
Project status
Photographs of the construction phase