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Weipa Andoom

Producer in Queensland, Australia with commodities Aluminum, Kaolin
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Production statistics
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10159284
MAS/MILS ID 6020350037
Record type Site
Current site name Weipa Andoom
Alternate or previous names Lorim Point, Weipa and Andoom, Weipa Peninsula Mine, Weipa Bauxites

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Town
Geographic coordinates: 141.89309, -12.66012 (WGS84)
Elevation 15
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Queensland(province)

Australia(country)

Australia(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Australia Queensland

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Aluminum Critical Primary
Kaolin Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Boehmite Unknown
Gibbsite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Town (1) 141.89309, -12.66012
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike W90N
    Dip 00E
    Thickness 2.4M
    Length 40370M
    Width 40370M
    Depth to top 0.6M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 LATERITE
    Shape of Orebody #1 MANTLELIKE
    Type of Orebody #2 REPLACEMENT
    Shape of Orebody #2 TABULAR
    Shape of Orebody #3 IRREGULAR
    Primary mode of Origin RESIDUAL CONCENT
    Secondary mode of Origin OXIDATION
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Strike And Dip W90N:00E
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. .6
    Date of Last Modification 900611

Comments on the geologic information

  • GANGUE MINERALS INCLUDE HEMATITE, GOETHITE, LAOLINITE, QUARTZ AND ANATASE. TWO MINING AREAS ARE IN OPERATION, LORIM & ANDOOM. LORIM IS CLOSE TO PROCESSING FACILITIES, ANDOOM IS 19 KM NORTH OF WEIPA PENINSULA. IN 1992, APPROX. 70% CAME FROM ANDOOM.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1955
Year of first production 1963
Milling method Washing

Mining district

District name Carpentaria

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Conzinc Riotinto Of Australia Ltd. (Cra)
    Interest 67
    Home office Australia
    Year 1987
  • Type Owner
    Owner Amp
    Interest 16.5
    Year 1987
  • Type Owner
    Owner Others
    Interest 16.5
    Year 1987
  • Type Operator
    Owner Comalco Aluminium Ltd.
    Interest 100
    Home office Australia
    Year 1987

Production statistics

  • Year 1980
    Description Bauxite Ore Production 12877000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1287700mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Bauxite Ore Production 11912000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1191200mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Bauxite Ore Production 9589000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 9589000mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Bauxite Ore Production 9178000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 9178000mt
  • Year 1984
    Description Bauxite Ore Production 1243800 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1243800mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Bauxite Ore Production 10438000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1043800mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Bauxite Ore Production 10671000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1067100mt
  • Year 1987
    Description Bauxite Ore Prioduction 12476000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1247600mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Bauxite Ore Production 13977000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Aluminum Aluminum 1397700mt

Comments on the production information

  • COMALCO HAS RECENTLY INTRODUCED A NEW ABRASIVE GRADE BAUXITE, CALLED HITAG CALCINED BAUXITE. IT HAS LESS OF A FINES CONTENT,IS CALCINED AT A SLIGHTLY HIGHER TEMPERATURE, CONTAINS 84.2 PCT ALUMINA, AND HAS A SMALLER LOSS ON IGNITION (O.1%). COMALCO ANNOUNCED PLANS IN 1994 TO EXPAND ITS KAOLIN PRODUCTION CAPACITY TO 200,000 TPY (DOUBLE CURRENT CAPACITY). THE COMPANY PLANS TO SPEND $30 MILLION ON THE EXPANSION, TO BE COMPLETED IN MID-1995. EXPORTED BAUXITE REQUIRES PAYMENT OF A ROYALTY EQUAL TO 11.1% FOB VALUE OF BAUXITE. ORE USED DOMESTICALLY PAY ROYALTY 1/2 THIS VALUE.
  • SHIPMENTS IN 1990 REPORTED TO BE 10.5 MILLION MT. SHIPMENTS IN 1991 REPORTED TO BE 9.8 MILLION MT.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1981
    Measured 562000000mt ore
    Indicated 1356000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 1918000000mt ore
    Inferred 3096000000mt ore
    Total resources 5014000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Aluminum Al2O3 54.5 wt-pct Aluminum Major 1981
    Aluminum Al2O3 53 wt-pct Aluminum Major 1981
    Aluminum Al2O3 0 wt-pct Aluminum Major 1981

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • GOLDER ASSOCIATES 1980-1981 RESERVE/RESOURCES ESTIMATE IN MATRIX 1 AND 9 COLUMNS 1 AND 4. RESERVE/RESOURCE ESTIMATE FOR THE 1987 UPDATE STUDY IS IN MATRIX 1 AND 9 COLUMNS 3 AND 6. THIS ESTIMATE SHOULD BE TOTAL INSITU ORE OF THE WEIPA AND ANDOOM AREA.
  • WEIPA-ANDOOM ON OLD ADIT.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 163000HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Avg. Overburden Thickness .6
    Primary Material Cover SAND, SILT
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore SAND, SILT
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 3
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 80
    Capacity 65939
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 260
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1987

Comments on other economic factors

  • DRIED BAUXITE IS SHIPPED TO REFINERIES IN AUSTRALIA, JAPAN AND SPAIN, AND THE U.S. ABOUT 70% IS SHIPPED TO GLADSTONE REFINERY IN AUSTRALIA. A SMALL PORTION IS CONVERTED TO CALCINED BAUXITE AND USED IN THE ABRASIVES INDUSTRY. NEW MARKETS INCLUDE THE U.S.S.R. AND THE MIDDLE EAST.
  • K1 IS THE CRUSH, WASH, DRY PLANT; K2 IS THE CALCINE PLANT.
  • SURFACE AREA TO BE DISTURBED IS 163000 HECTARES ORE IS DEVELOPED ON THE WEST LIMB OF A REGIONAL ANTICLINE. CONVENTIONAL OPEN-PIT MINING IS USED WITH 150-T BOTTOM DUMP CARS TO HAUL BAUXITE TO THE CENTRAL RAIL POINT AT ANDOOM. ORE IS THEN RAILED 19 KM TO THE PLANT WHERE IT IS SIZED OVER TRIPLE AND SINGLE-DECK SCREENS TO REMOVE PISOTITIC CLAY.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Production

    IBA REVIEW. JAN.-MAR. 1992, P. 13.

  • Production

    AUSTRALIA'S MINING WEEKLY. NOV. 1994, P. 33-34.

  • Deposit

    ANON., 1964, EXPANSION OF WEIPA TO START THIS YEAR, MINING

  • Deposit

    AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING REVIEW, OCT., P. 32-33.

  • Deposit

    ANON., 1974, WEIPA BAUXITE, MINING MAGAZINE, JAN., P.12-21.

  • Deposit

    ANON., 1975 THROUGH 1979, ANNUAL REPORTS AND REPORTS TO THE

  • Deposit

    AUSTRALIAN STOCK EXCHANGES, COMALCO, LTD., SYDNEY.

  • Deposit

    BARTLETT, A.H. 1976, OPEN LETTER TO PROFESSOR E.H. ERIKSON,

  • Deposit

    EASTERN WASHINGTON STATE COLLEGE.

  • Deposit

    CHADWICK, J.R., 1981, WEIPA-THE WORLD'S LARGEST BAUXITE

  • Deposit

    MINE, WORLD MINING, JAN., P. 36-39.

  • Deposit

    EVANS, H.J., 1965, BAUXITE DEPOSITS OF WEIPA, GEOLOGY OF

  • Deposit

    AUSTRALIAN ORE DEPOSITS; EIGHTH COMMONWEALTH MINING AND

  • Deposit

    METALL. CONGRESS, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, 1965, THE

  • Deposit

    OFFICE OF THE CONGRESS AND THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF

  • Deposit

    MINING AND METALLURGY, MELBOURNE.

  • Deposit

    FREE, G.D., 1978, MINING OPERATIONS AT WEIPA, NORTH

  • Deposit

    QUEENLAND CONFERENCE, 1978, AUSTRALASIAN INSTITUTE OF

  • Deposit

    MINING AND METALL., MELBOURNE.

  • Deposit

    MCDONALD, K.B., AND MORTIMER, R.R., 1978, RAIL HAULAGE AND

  • Deposit

    OFF-HIGHWAY TRUCK DEVELOPMENT AT WEIPA, NORTH QUEENLAND

  • Deposit

    CONFERENCE, 1978 AUSTRALASIAN INST. OF MINING AND METALL

  • Deposit

    MELBOURNE.

  • Deposit

    ROBERTS, R.H., 1977, BAUXITE MINING - WEIPA 1967-1977,

  • Deposit

    SOCIETY OF MINING ENGINEERS FALL MEETING, ST. LOUIS, MO.

  • Deposit

    OCT, P. 1-15.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit AS REPORTED IN 1981, 70% OF WEIPA ORE CAME FROM THE ANDOOM MINE A FEASIBILITY STUDY IS BEING CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF BUILDING A REFINERY WITH A CAPACITY OF 1 MILLION MTPY. THE STUDY WILL TAKE 18 MO.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 17-JAN-1995 Wilburn, David R. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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