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Eneabba/Narngulu Operations

Producer in Western Australia, Australia with commodities REE, Titanium, Zirconium
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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. Ownership information
  12. Production statistics
  13. Workings at the site
  14. Links to other databases
  15. Bibliographic references
  16. General comments
  17. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10183223
MAS/MILS ID 6020550043
Record type Site
Current site name Eneabba/Narngulu Operations
Alternate or previous names Adamson Deposit, Eneabba, Eneabba West, Eneabba North, Eneabba South

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 115.41606, -29.77941 (WGS84)
Elevation 105
Location accuracy 10000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Western Australia(province)

Australia(country)

Australia(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Australia Western Australia

Commodities

Commodity Importance
REE Critical Primary
Titanium Critical Primary
Zirconium Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Ilmenite Unknown
Monazite Unknown
Rutile Unknown
Zircon Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 115.41606, -29.77941
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 840614
  • Area 7000HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 7000
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE HEAVY MINERAL DEPOSITS ARE GENERALLY PARALLEL, AND OCCUR AT SUCCESSIVELY HIGHER ELEVATIONS, BEGINNING AT 75M ABOVE SEA LEVEL, IN THE WEST, TO 128M ABOVE SEA LEVEL, AT THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE DEPOSIT. ORE BODY DIMENSIONS ARE UNKNOWN.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1968
Mining method Dredging
Year of first production 1974
Milling method Gravity

Mining district

District name Swan Coastal Pl

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Rgc Mineral Sands
    Interest 100
    Home office Australia
    Year 1994

Comments on the ownership information

  • RGC MINERAL SANDS IS A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF RENISION GOLDFIELDS CORP. FORMERLY KNOWN AS AMC MINERALS CONSOLIDATED LTD. CHANGED TO RGC MINERAL SANDS IN 1992.

Production statistics

  • Year 1974
    Description Ore 3238812 Mtpy Ore
  • Year 1974
    Description Zircon 15000 Mtpy Zircon Produced
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Zirconium Zirconium 15000mt
  • Year 1974
    Description Rutile 7000 Mtpy Rutile Produced
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Titanium Titanium 7000mt
  • Year 1974
    Description Ilmenite 28000 Mtpy Ilmenite Produced
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Titanium Titanium 28000mt
  • Year 1975
    Description 5814923
  • Year 1975
    Description 41730
  • Year 1975
    Description Monazite 450 Mtpy Monazite Production
  • Year 1975
    Description 26000
  • Year 1975
    Description 157400
  • Year 1976
    Description 7306494
  • Year 1976
    Description 71932
  • Year 1976
    Description 1912
  • Year 1976
    Description 41505
  • Year 1976
    Description 211892
  • Year 1977
    Description 6602
  • Year 1977
    Description 59883
  • Year 1977
    Description 6487797
  • Year 1977
    Description 278162
  • Year 1977
    Description 104618
  • Year 1978
    Description 11757
  • Year 1978
    Description 62420
  • Year 1978
    Description 6985374
  • Year 1978
    Description 289877
  • Year 1978
    Description 122336
  • Year 1979
    Description 344196
  • Year 1979
    Description 9675
  • Year 1979
    Description 81890
  • Year 1979
    Description 8258700
  • Year 1979
    Description 147471
  • Year 1980
    Description 487945
  • Year 1980
    Description 8095
  • Year 1980
    Description 104938
  • Year 1980
    Description 10539975
  • Year 1980
    Description 151515
  • Year 1981
    Description 8100
  • Year 1981
    Description 435000
  • Year 1981
    Description 9706871
  • Year 1981
    Description 90800
  • Year 1981
    Description 184400
  • Year 1982
    Description 8100
  • Year 1982
    Description 285000
  • Year 1982
    Description 9336976
  • Year 1982
    Description 50800
  • Year 1982
    Description 114400
  • Year 1983
    Description 10429
  • Year 1983
    Description 225536
  • Year 1983
    Description 39248
  • Year 1983
    Description 157736
  • Year 1984
    Description 9843
  • Year 1984
    Description 34481
  • Year 1984
    Description 161126
  • Year 1985
    Description 214972
  • Year 1987
    Description Synthetic Rutile 50000 Mtpy Syn. Rut. Production
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Titanium Titanium 50000mt
  • Year 1987
    Description 10000
  • Year 1987
    Description 440000
  • Year 1987
    Description 225000
  • Year 1987
    Description 95000
  • Year 1988
    Description 112500
  • Year 1988
    Description 8000
  • Year 1988
    Description 440000
  • Year 1988
    Description 260000
  • Year 1988
    Description 85000
  • Year 1989
    Description 112500
  • Year 1990
    Description 490000
  • Year 1990
    Description 130000
  • Year 1990
    Description 10000
  • Year 1990
    Description 17344800
  • Year 1990
    Description 250000
  • Year 1990
    Description 90000
  • Year 1991
    Description 316000
  • Year 1991
    Description 195000
  • Year 1991
    Description 8000
  • Year 1991
    Description 185000
  • Year 1991
    Description 18133200
  • Year 1991
    Description Rutile Production 58209 Mt Rutile
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Titanium Titanium 58209mt
  • Year 1992
    Description 690000
  • Year 1992
    Description 260000
  • Year 1992
    Description 13000
  • Year 1992
    Description 320000
  • Year 1992
    Description 36266400
  • Year 1992
    Description Rutile Production 131000

Comments on the production information

  • HEAVY SANDS ARE EXPOSED AT THE SURFACE IN SOME PLACES, AND WERE ENCOUNTERED IN A WATER WELL, DRILLED IN 1968. MR. J.R. ADAMSON, A LOCAL FARMER, STAKED THE MAIN DEPOSIT IN SEPTEMBER 1970 AND, TOGETHER WITH OTHER FARMERS, STAKED NEARLY ALL OF THE EXISTING DEPOSIT.
  • AT FULL CAPACITY WITH ALL THREE MINES IN PRODUCTION, ANNUAL PRODUCTION IS 600,000 MT ILMENITE, 120,000 MT RUTILE, AND 300,000 MT ZIRCON. RGC HAS A LONG TERM CONTRACT FOR ILMENITE WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR 20% OF ANNUAL PRODUCTION. CONTRACT EXPIRES IN 1998.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ESTIMATES PUBLISHED IN 1981 INDICATE TOTAL HEAVY MINERAL RESERVES OF 10,000,000 TONS; ADEQUATE FOR A 20 YEAR LIFE. STATED RESOURCE FOR ENEABBA WEST WAS 230 MILLION MT AT 3.1% HEAVY MINERAL CARRYING ABOUT 47% ILMENITE, 15% ZIRCON, AND 9% RUTILE IN 1990. *1990 RESOURCE VALUES AS OF 1/7/90, PROVIDED BY RGC. INCLUDES RGC & ALLIED LEASES, JENNINGS G ZONE, AND ENEABBA WEST. *LINE 1: ILMENITE GRADE (4.55% HMC* 43.48% ILMENITE) *LINE 2: RUTILE GRADE (4.55% HMC* 7.93% RUTILE) *LINE 3: ZIRCON GRADE (4.55% HMC* 19.13% ZIRCON) *LINE 4: MONAZITE GRADE (4.55% HMC * 0.97% MONAZITE)

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method STRIP-LEVEL
    Percent Waste Rock 99
    Primary Material Cover SAND, SILT
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore SAND, SILT
    Capacity 1452
    Capacity Units MT CONC/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 3.71
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1992
  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method DREDGING
    Avg. Overburden Thickness .12
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore SAND, SILT
    Capacity 822
    Capacity Units MT CONC/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 2.47
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1992
  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 3
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method DREDGING
    Hardness of Ore SAND, SILT
    Capacity 1096
    Capacity Units MT CONC/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 1.24
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1992
  • Type of workings Water
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method HYDRAULIC DREDGE-SW
    Percent Waste Rock 95.2
    Minable Surface Area 100
    Percent Recovery 100
    Avg. Sediment Thickness 8
    Primary type of Cover LOOSE CLAY SILT AND SAND
    Hardness of ore SAND, SILT
    Avg. Overburden Thickness .1
    General Remarks ENEABBA S.-500 MTPHR ORE
    Capacity 12000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Operating Hours per Day 24
    Year of Information 1992
  • Type of workings Water
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 3
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method MECHANICAL DREDGE-SW
    Percent Waste Rock 95.2
    Avg. Sediment Thickness 8
    Hardness of ore SAND, SILT
    Avg. Overburden Thickness .1
    General Remarks ENEABBA S.-600 MTPHR ORE
    Capacity 14400
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Operating Hours per Day 24
    Year of Information 1992
  • Type of workings Water
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 4
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method MECHANICAL DREDGE-SW
    Percent Waste Rock 93.2
    Avg. Sediment Thickness 22
    Hardness of ore SAND, SILT
    Avg. Overburden Thickness .1
    General Remarks ENEABBA W-3000MTPHR ORE
    Capacity 72000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Operating Hours per Day 24
    Year of Information 1992

Comments on the workings information

  • IN 1993, RGC WAS IN THE PROCESS OF INTRODUCING A TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE THE RADIOACTIVE THORIUM AND URANIUM LEVELS IN THE ILMENITE.

Comments on other economic factors

  • PRODUCTS ARE SHIPPED FROM THE GERALDTON PORT TO MARKETS IN NORTH AMERICA, JAPAN, AND EUROPE. THE MAJORITY OF THE SYNTHETIC RUTILE PRODUCTION IS SHIPPED TO NORTH AMERICA.
  • RECORD 1 REFERS TO NORTH DEPOSIT, RECORD 2 TO SOUTH, AND RECORD 3 TO WEST. *ENEABBA SOUTH OPERATION WAS CONVERTED FROM A DRY MINING OPERATION TO A DREDGE OPERATION IN 1989.
  • IN 1989-1990 APPROXIMATELY A$115 MILLION WAS SPENT ON THE ENEABBA WEST OPERATION (A$70 ON DRY PLANT EXPANSION, A$55 ON DEVELOPMENT OF DEPOSIT). *IN 1990, A$84 MILLION WAS SPENT ON EXPANDING THE SR PLANT. * IN 1993, AN A$2.5 MILLION SHIP LOADING FACILITY WAS BUILT.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    *WA REVIEW, MARCH 1990, P. 16. "MINERAL SANDS IS THE NEW

  • Reserve-Resource

    GLAMOUR INDUSTRY."

  • Reserve-Resource

    *COMPANY PROVIDED DATA.

  • Reserve-Resource

    *FANTEL TRIP REPORT, 1992.

  • Workings

    *MINERALS GAZETTE, JUNE 1993. P. 10.

  • Deposit

    PHILLIPS, BRIAN M. & NEVILLE BASSETT. DEVELOPMENT OF THE

  • Deposit

    ENEABBA MINERAL SANDS OPERATION OF ASSOCIATED MINERALS

  • Deposit

    CONSOLIDATED LIMITED. THE AUSTRALIAN I.M.M. CONFERENCE,

  • Deposit

    WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 1979.

  • Deposit

    LISSIMAN, J.C. & R.J. OXENFORD. ENEABBA RUTILE-ZIRCON-

  • Deposit

    ILMENITE SAND DEPOSITS, W.A. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF AUSTRALIA

  • Deposit

    AND PAPUA, NEW GUINEA, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND

  • Deposit

    METALLURGY, UNDATED.

  • Deposit

    BAXTER, JOHN L. GEOLOGY OF MINERAL SANDS DEPOSITS IN

  • Deposit

    WESTERN AUSTRALIA. UNDATED.

  • Deposit

    COMMONWEALTH GEOLOGICAL LIAISON OFFICE. NEWSLETTER.

  • Deposit

    OCTOBER 1974.

  • Deposit

    REGISTER OF AUSTRALIAN MINING, 1981, P. 112.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit ENEABBA SOUTH OPERATION CLOSED IN LATED 1991 WITH NO PLANS ANNOUNCED FOR REOPENING. ENEABBA WEST WAS COMMISSIONED IN 1991 BUT SHUT DOWN IN 5/92 DUE TO MARKET CONDITIONS. ENEABBA WEST REOPENED IN 3/93. AS OF 1994, BOTH ENEABBA NORTH AND WEST WERE IN PRODUCTION. THE NARNGULU PROCESSING PLANT RECEIVED ISO 9002 ACCREDITATION IN JUNE 1993.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 23-SEP-1996 Fantel, Richard J. / Kaiser, Robin C. 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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