Surface Mining
Low Value Bushland
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Undeveloped bushes lands for cattle/livestock farming.
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No agricultural production such as crop, fruit or vegetables.
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Low tourism value.
Easy Vegatation Clearing
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Native shrubs less than 5 metres tall
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No protected species existing
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The vegetation layer can be dozed in a low-cost manner for mining
Low cost surface mining
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Flat topography, easy access to every mining area
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Mining by panels (normally 100m x100m)
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Shallow ore depth (less than 3 metres)
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Mining pits are directly backfilled with tailings
No rehabilitation required
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Native shrubs grows without any artificial processes
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Vegetation fully recovered in 2-3 wet seasons
Vegatation Clearing
Surface Mining
Ore Stockpiling
Processing
The processing of the ilmenite-rich ore consists of only gravity-based separation process. Ore from stockpiles feeds into grizzly, go through scrubber/trommels for oversize screening and slurry making. The slurry is pumped to the wet separation plant that consists of cyclone cluster banks and spiral separators, where HM (mainly ilmenite) are concentrated.
The process does not involve flotation separation, thus no high-density fluid is used. Tailing slurry/material contains no chemical additives, and are directly backfilled.
The process does not requires the high-energy consuming magnetic separation (common to other Mineral Sand mines).
A schematic diagram of A.I.R.'s ilmenite concentration process
Ore Feeding
Wet Spiral Plant
Road-train transport to Darwin Port
Scrubber and Trommel
Concentrate Output
Unloading at Darwin Port Ficility
Spiral Concentrator
Stockpiles
Loading into Bulk Cargo