Our Mining Project is currently a Stage 1 development.
Stage 1 – Mining - Direct Shipping Ore (DSO)
The Company has continued to advance its business case of defining an economic >30Mt bauxite resource as Stage 1 necessary to support a >3Mtpa DSO bauxite operation by concentrating on areas of previously explored ground with substantial volumes of historical data. This plan has been further enhanced by two key factors; firstly, shipping freight rates to China have dropped dramatically and secondly China is estimated to exhaust its reserves of bauxite in 10 years. This coupled with a forecast increase in demand from China despite present world economic conditions will see alumina stockpiles reduce and a recovery of the bauxite spot price.
It is envisaged that the DSO operation will initially be in its raw bauxite form, although the Company is reviewing beneficiation techniques, to supply the emerging Asian markets in the shorter term. The Company’s ultimate goal is to define a resource necessary to support an alumina refinery and/or smelter in the longer term following the planned establishment of a reliable cash flow from the DSO with the cooperation of a significant joint venture or off-take partner.
Darling Range bauxite occurs as surface outcrops that requires little overburden removal. Mining utilises either track dozers to rip the caprock or continuous surface mining machines, thereby eliminating drill and blast operations and significantly reducing fixed plant processing. Surface mining technology is environmentally friendly with minimal dust and noise, creates a flat mining floor that requires minimal road maintenance.
- Mined ore is stockpiled behind mining operations prior to loading onto road trains for delivery to the designated rail siding.
- When the pit is mined out, mining faces are contoured using dozers leaving gentle undulations. Overburden and topsoil is returned and the whole area is deep ripped before planting the desired vegetation or crop.
- Mining will be carried out during daylight hours Monday to Friday inclusive, thereby minimising impact on the local community and providing an attractive shift pattern for workers.
BRL plan to contract out the entire mining process to experienced mining and haulage service providers.