Page 33 - IB June 2017

Resources
Amex Fiji ironsand project enters next phase Ironsand,

a product

in demand

IRONSAND is a product increasingly
in demand as an alternative iron ore
feedstock for use in ironmaking.
Unlike conventional hard rock mag-
netite, the traditional ore alternative
to hematite, ironsand concentrate can
be extracted at comparatively low cost.
Chinese steelmakers in particular are
keenly interested in acquiring ironsand
concentrates to blend with either im-
ported or their own expensive feedstock.
Ironsand (titanomagnetite) is a com-
pound of the elements iron, titanium
and oxygen. The presence of titanium
means that it contains slightly less iron
than magnetite concentrate produced
Amex Resources Limited Chairman, Mr Richard Alston handing over the site helmet to Chairman of First from hard rock sources, and accord-
Harbour Consultant Zhongwu Feng Photo: Minfo/Dinfo
ingly may realise slightly lower prices.
However, this is more than offset by the
comparatively low capital and operating
costs associated with ironsand produc-
tion.
Ironsand deposits are known world-
wide, but not all are equally suitable for
iron making due to presence of various
critical impurities, or the need for some
high-energy grinding to adequately
AMEX extraction site: Ba River Delta liberate the titanomagnetite.
The targeted magnetite-rich ironsands For the past 40 years, the world’s
resource lies predominantly in tidal flats major source of ironsand production has
at the mouth of the Ba River, about 30 been New Zealand.
The Amex Port area which will be developed. Photo: Supplied
kilometres north-east of Lautoka Amex’s Ba Delta ironsand has similar
plant, where the magnetite will be re- will be unloaded and washed in
The ironsands occur as a simple flat chemical and physical characteristics
covered by way of a simple two-stage
lying blanket of unconsolidated fine fresh water to remove sea salt, to the New Zealand material, placing it
magnetic process.
to coarse magnetite-bearing sand ap- then dried and stockpiled awaiting at the forefront of developing projects
Amex says no chemicals or high-
proximately 15 kilometres long by up to export to markets predominantly in as an alternative ore source for Asian
energy grinding will be required, as
4 kilometres wide. It is developed from Asia. steelmakers.
the natural process of tropical weath-
surface to depths of up to 9.4 metres, Deposits of ironsands with simi- Magnetite also has other applications,
ering has freed the magnetite from the
and averages 4.3 metres in thickness. lar chemical characteristics have in addition to iron and steel making.
enclosing gangue minerals.
Much of the surface of the resource is been successfully mined for over 40 Amex says it will continue to explore
The concentrated magnetic sand
exposed at low tide. years in New Zealand, for domestic these markets, in association with an
product will be pumped into a barge steelmaking and export to Asian
A conventional dredging operation experienced marketing entity who spe-
moored alongside the process plant,
will be used to excavate the ore, at a rate consumers. cialises in alternative niche markets that
with two barge loads being shipped to
of up to one million tonnes per month. are not reliant on the iron ore price.
Lautoka each day.
The material will be pumped from the Source: Amex Resources
On arrival at the port, the product
dredge along a floating pipeline to a Source: Amex Resources
Islands Business, May 201733