IronClad Mining has exercised its option held with Sea Transport Corporation over the port facilities at Lucky Bay in South Australia, moving the company closer to a two stage trans shipping operation due to commence in early 2012.
On May 3rd 2011, IronClad signed the option agreement to ship iron ore from a holding warehouse at Lucky Bay to a floating harbor, located about 5 to 10 kilometers offshore South Australia. Importantly, the option gives the company full access to a designated 50 hectare site, with harbor frontage and full usage of the port itself.
The innovative development of a multi user port and floating harbor off the coast of South Australia will boost Wilcherry Hill JV Iron Ore project economics with lower transport costs. Production is due to commence with direct shipping magnetite ore export late this year.
The Wilcherry Hill project is an 80:20 JV between IronClad and its associated company Trafford Resources, is situated near Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula, and would also strengthen economic growth and employment opportunities in the region.
The project will start relatively small by iron ore industry standards, however it will be producing a premium grade product and it is planned to expand rapidly, in three stages, to a total production target over 10 to 12 million tonnes of iron ore a year.
Stage one will see IronClad’s DSO transported in customized containers, by road from Wilcherry Hill, to its harbor side facility. Initially, the containers will be loaded onto a specially designed barge and powered by tug to waiting Panamax size vessels anchored 5 to 6 Kilometers offshore. Onboard cranes will load the ore by tipping the containers into the holds.
IronClad has acquired the tug which is currently being fully refurbished in Queensland and construction of a purpose built barge will commence shortly. Stage one loading will be augmented in 2012 by the addition to the fleet of a powered feeder vessel capable of delivering up to 12,000 tonnes per day.
The design of the feeder vessel will be compatible to its eventual role as feeder to IronClad's proposed floating harbor. In all, two feeder vessels are planned for completion by the time the floating harbor is commissioned.
Stage two transshipments of ore will commence from Lucky Bay when the proposed floating harbor is commissioned. It will anchor about 10 kilometers offshore and will be capable of docking full cape size of 150,000 tonne capacity vessels.
A negatively pressurized storage shed will be constructed onshore from which the two feeder vessels will ferry ore. The floating harbor will have the capacity to store, onboard, up to 100,000 tonnes of ore, also in a negatively pressurized environment. With two feeder vessels delivering a further total of 24,000 tonnes per day a fast loading time of around 4 days can be anticipated
The floating harbor design has commenced. Once construction begins it is anticipated that the build time will be approximately 18 months. Commissioning will be aimed to coincide with upgraded throughput from the mine in late year two or early year three.
The South Australian government, has already supported the multi user harbor concept under Section 49 of the Development Act, which facilitates approvals for infrastructure projects considered essential to the South Australia’s development.
Sea Transport Corporation is currently preparing a comprehensive development application utilizing key design and environmental impact assessment specialists. The company expects final government approval for the port at the end of 2011.
IronClad Mining was established to accelerate the development of the exciting Wilcherry Hill iron ore deposits located 40 kilometers north of Kimba on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. The Wilcherry deposits contain coarse crystalline magnetite and low silica contents which enable low cost and efficient production of concentrates containing over 70% Fe with very low impurity levels.
In addition, metal recoveries of over 95% and mass recoveries of 50% and up to 75%, are significantly higher than for typical Australian banded iron formation magnetite deposits.
In the last two years, the main highlights for the Project have been:
Expansion of JORC compliant iron resources from 44 million tonnes to over 263 million tonnes through 50,000 meters drilling
Confirmation Wilcherry Hill ore is high quality and will readily produce a saleable product through detailed metallurgical test work
Identification of excellent exploration potential in excess of 1.5 billion tonnes from regional geophysical data and exploration
Identification of a viable, low cost scenario to become a producer in 2011 through completion of the current integrated study
Completion of environmental, water supply and infrastructure studies designed to assist in obtaining regulatory approvals to mine
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On May 3rd 2011, IronClad signed the option agreement to ship iron ore from a holding warehouse at Lucky Bay to a floating harbor, located about 5 to 10 kilometers offshore South Australia. Importantly, the option gives the company full access to a designated 50 hectare site, with harbor frontage and full usage of the port itself.
The innovative development of a multi user port and floating harbor off the coast of South Australia will boost Wilcherry Hill JV Iron Ore project economics with lower transport costs. Production is due to commence with direct shipping magnetite ore export late this year.
The Wilcherry Hill project is an 80:20 JV between IronClad and its associated company Trafford Resources, is situated near Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula, and would also strengthen economic growth and employment opportunities in the region.
The project will start relatively small by iron ore industry standards, however it will be producing a premium grade product and it is planned to expand rapidly, in three stages, to a total production target over 10 to 12 million tonnes of iron ore a year.
Stage one will see IronClad’s DSO transported in customized containers, by road from Wilcherry Hill, to its harbor side facility. Initially, the containers will be loaded onto a specially designed barge and powered by tug to waiting Panamax size vessels anchored 5 to 6 Kilometers offshore. Onboard cranes will load the ore by tipping the containers into the holds.
IronClad has acquired the tug which is currently being fully refurbished in Queensland and construction of a purpose built barge will commence shortly. Stage one loading will be augmented in 2012 by the addition to the fleet of a powered feeder vessel capable of delivering up to 12,000 tonnes per day.
The design of the feeder vessel will be compatible to its eventual role as feeder to IronClad's proposed floating harbor. In all, two feeder vessels are planned for completion by the time the floating harbor is commissioned.
Stage two transshipments of ore will commence from Lucky Bay when the proposed floating harbor is commissioned. It will anchor about 10 kilometers offshore and will be capable of docking full cape size of 150,000 tonne capacity vessels.
A negatively pressurized storage shed will be constructed onshore from which the two feeder vessels will ferry ore. The floating harbor will have the capacity to store, onboard, up to 100,000 tonnes of ore, also in a negatively pressurized environment. With two feeder vessels delivering a further total of 24,000 tonnes per day a fast loading time of around 4 days can be anticipated
The floating harbor design has commenced. Once construction begins it is anticipated that the build time will be approximately 18 months. Commissioning will be aimed to coincide with upgraded throughput from the mine in late year two or early year three.
The South Australian government, has already supported the multi user harbor concept under Section 49 of the Development Act, which facilitates approvals for infrastructure projects considered essential to the South Australia’s development.
Sea Transport Corporation is currently preparing a comprehensive development application utilizing key design and environmental impact assessment specialists. The company expects final government approval for the port at the end of 2011.
IronClad Mining was established to accelerate the development of the exciting Wilcherry Hill iron ore deposits located 40 kilometers north of Kimba on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. The Wilcherry deposits contain coarse crystalline magnetite and low silica contents which enable low cost and efficient production of concentrates containing over 70% Fe with very low impurity levels.
In addition, metal recoveries of over 95% and mass recoveries of 50% and up to 75%, are significantly higher than for typical Australian banded iron formation magnetite deposits.
In the last two years, the main highlights for the Project have been:
Expansion of JORC compliant iron resources from 44 million tonnes to over 263 million tonnes through 50,000 meters drilling
Confirmation Wilcherry Hill ore is high quality and will readily produce a saleable product through detailed metallurgical test work
Identification of excellent exploration potential in excess of 1.5 billion tonnes from regional geophysical data and exploration
Identification of a viable, low cost scenario to become a producer in 2011 through completion of the current integrated study
Completion of environmental, water supply and infrastructure studies designed to assist in obtaining regulatory approvals to mine
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