Mineral Sands Operations in Australia

Australia holds the third largest resource of rare earth in the world and is the fifth largest producer. Deposits are located in most states of Australia. The two main types of mineral sands are titanium dioxide minerals and zircon.

Western Australia is a prominent producer of mineral sands including titanium and non-titanium minerals. Titanium dioxide is used in manufacturing paints, plastics and coatings, cosmetics, fibres and pharmaceuticals. Zircon is predominantly used as a whitening agent for ceramic products such as tiles and toilets.

Output of Mineral Sands

The revenue per year from mineral sands mining is an estimated $3 billion. Pricing movement and changing demand for the product impacts on output. With time, the premium reserves become depleted and so the industry is forced to mine lower grade mineral sands at a higher cost.

Rehabilitation of Australia’s Sites

Australia ensures its mineral sands sites are rehabilitated after mining. Seeds of native plants are often collected from proposed mine sites. Topsoil and mulch may also be harvested and stored ready for rehabilitation. If the area is suitable for crops or pasture, it is important that high quantities of fertiliser are used to protect the soil surface and quickly establish the roots of plants being grown there. Sites may require monitoring for several years to ensure the land is rehabilitated as needed. The monitoring can include comparisons with nearby land that hasn’t undergone mineral sands mining.

Mineral processing and material handling:

Looking out for more information on mineral processing and material handling in Australia? We recommend speaking to experts or an agency who can guide you with further details.

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Difference Between Mineral Sands and Rare Earths

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The Beneficiation Process

The earth’s surface is made up of compounds which are extracted for commercial gain. Iron ore is the most important for producing building materials. Not all iron ore is created equal. The grade of iron is determined by the Fe content in the ore. Profitable elements of the ore are then separated through physical techniques. Ores with greater than 60% are considered ‘natural ores’ and can go straight into the blast furnace. It is also called ‘direct shipping ore’ and is ready for export. For ore that has a less than 60% Fe content, it is considered low grade and can’t be used for the production of iron and steel. It needs to be upgraded to reduce its gangue content and increase its Fe content. The process of improving the value of ore by removing certain minerals is called beneficiation. With over a billion tonnes of steel required worldwide in 2016, the beneficiation process is needed to keep up with demand. Beneficiation technology is improving all the time to maximise the value ...

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