A Pre-Feasibility Study has been developed by Centrex Metal to develop three mining port locations in South Australia’s Eyre Peninsular.
Developed in conjunction with engineering project services company, Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM), the now-completed Pre-Feasibility Study and Mining and Rehabilitation Plan (MARP) is part of the formal approval process for development of mines in South Australia.
The Study has been executed by Centrex Metal’s Wilgerup mine and port development on the Eyre Peninsula and includes a comparison of the capital and operating costs and benefits associated with the exporting of hematite from port facilities available at Port Lincoln.
In addition, Environmental and Permitting Studies required to take the Wilgerup mine development into operation, have also been completed.
The Pre-Feasibility Study considered options for three port locations inclusive of engineering, environmental planning and community aspects.
SKM’s project manager for the Wilgerup development, Danny Simpson, said that the most important issues to address at both the port and mine involved sustainability.
“As the port is central to the township of Port Lincoln, consideration of the environmental impact from noise and dust and the social and image impacts on the existing seafood industry were paramount,” he said.
“Of equal importance was the requirement to co-exist with the current port operations involving grain export, particularly with regard to avoiding contamination of the grain.
“SKM has worked hard at addressing these issues of sustainability and has incorporated a diligent approach to identifying issues and addressing them in the design and operation of the facility. The outcome has been the incorporation of new technology into the conveying systems which raises the standard of dust management in the operation to industry best practice.”
Dust was also recognised as an important issue at the minesite but Simpson said the main concern related to potable water use.
“The farming community in the vicinity of the minesite has suffered through some hard times, exacerbated by drought, and is very supportive of the mine development. However, impacts on available water resources were raised as an issue that required attention. By working with the client, SKM was able to identify a sustainable water supply that meets the requirements of the mine, but more importantly does not impact on the quantity or quality of potable water available to the community,” he said.
“Sustainability of the operation has been a consistent theme through its development and we have undertaken a comprehensive range of environmental assessments, including a total product cycle greenhouse gas emissions assessment.”