The proposal is to extend AMC Mineral Sands' existing heavy mineral sand mining operation.
The proposed extension is 5 km west of the existing operation at Eneabba, which lies 250 km north of Perth.
Expansion of the mining operation will necessitate an expansion of the existing dry processing plant at Narngulu near Geraldton. lt is proposed to mine 200 million tonnes of ore over a 14 year period, resulting in a 40% increase in production at the Eneabba operations.
Mining of the deposit would be carried out using a bucketwheel dredge connected to a floating process plant. This plant produces a wet concentrate which is dried on-site prior to being railed to the Narngulu dry processing plant. At Narngulu, the concentrate would be subjected to a complex series of electrostatic, magnetic and gravity separation processes to separate the various heavy mineral component products.
These products will be transported to the Geraldton wharf for export. Waste materials produced from the separation process will be buried in earth bunkers at the site. lt is intended to retreat the material in the future.
