First Mining Campaign
The initial mining campaign was successfully completed in June 2008 and was accomplished lost-time-injury free, on budget and ahead of schedule.
The campaign mined 773,300 tonnes of ore with an average grade of 15.4% Rare Earth Oxides (REO). The ore is stockpiled on-site according to the grade and mineralogy, a soft siltstone type ore known as "Cz" and a limonitic ore known as "Li". The run-of-mine (ROM) pad is close to capacity and has sufficient Cz ore for the first two years of downstream processing operation.
During the campaign approximately 2,039,000 bulk cubic metres of waste was mined and this has been placed on waste stockpiles. Rehabilitation of the waste stockpiles with top soil and revegetation has commenced.
The completed mine excavation
Aerial view of the open pit
Ore stockpiled on the ROM pad
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