Feb. 25, 2010
The world's number-one zircon producer Iluka Resources is looking to increase its production of the mineral to about 500,000t/y by 2011, MD David Robb reported. Zircon output would be increased to 400,000 tons in 2010, from 263 000 t in 2009, he said in a conference call, announcing the company's 2009 financial results. The company posted an after tax loss of A$108,6-million, compared with profit of A$77,5-million in 2008, after a "severe" global contraction in demand for mineral sands products. However, Iluka expects demand to grow this year, on the back of increasing consumerism and a massive urbanisation trend in China one of the world's largest consumers of mineral sands products. Iluka has completed the construction of two new projects, which would represent the cornerstone of its higher value zircon and rutile production for the next decade. It has started the commissioning of the South Australia-based Jacinth-Ambrosia mine, which would be able to supply a quarter of the global demand, after it completed construction in November. Robb noted that upgrade of the Narngulu mineral separation plant, in Western Australia, which would process Jacinth-Ambrosia heavy mineral concentrate into final product, was substantially complete at year-end, and was commissioned in January. luka is ramping up production at the project, with two trial shipments of heavy mineral concentrate having being sent to the mineral separation plant for processing. The has a six-month ramp-up schedule for the project, which Robb considered appropriate given possible commissioning issues associated with the introduction of a concentrate to new production and processing facilities. Once representative quality zircon product samples were produced, Iluka would provide those to customers for product testing a process which was expected to take some two months. The samples would be sent to customers in March. The company could start commercial sales towards the end of the first half of the year. Robb also reported that Iluka had also completed the second stage of the Murray basin operations,, which involved the establishment of mining operations at Kulwin the first of several, rutile-dominant mineral sands deposits in the northern part of the basin in Victoria. The commissioning and ramp-up of the project has been slower-than-targeted owing to issues associated mainly with equipment reliability and consistency of plant performance, he said. The operating performance shortfall had a negative impact on an already-poor 2009 earnings and would result in a lower than planned initial contribution in 2010.
The world's number-one zircon producer Iluka Resources is looking to increase its production of the mineral to about 500,000t/y by 2011, MD David Robb reported. Zircon output would be increased to 400,000 tons in 2010, from 263 000 t in 2009, he said in a conference call, announcing the company's 2009 financial results. The company posted an after tax loss of A$108,6-million, compared with profit of A$77,5-million in 2008, after a "severe" global contraction in demand for mineral sands products. However, Iluka expects demand to grow this year, on the back of increasing consumerism and a massive urbanisation trend in China one of the world's largest consumers of mineral sands products. Iluka has completed the construction of two new projects, which would represent the cornerstone of its higher value zircon and rutile production for the next decade. It has started the commissioning of the South Australia-based Jacinth-Ambrosia mine, which would be able to supply a quarter of the global demand, after it completed construction in November. Robb noted that upgrade of the Narngulu mineral separation plant, in Western Australia, which would process Jacinth-Ambrosia heavy mineral concentrate into final product, was substantially complete at year-end, and was commissioned in January. luka is ramping up production at the project, with two trial shipments of heavy mineral concentrate having being sent to the mineral separation plant for processing. The has a six-month ramp-up schedule for the project, which Robb considered appropriate given possible commissioning issues associated with the introduction of a concentrate to new production and processing facilities. Once representative quality zircon product samples were produced, Iluka would provide those to customers for product testing a process which was expected to take some two months. The samples would be sent to customers in March. The company could start commercial sales towards the end of the first half of the year. Robb also reported that Iluka had also completed the second stage of the Murray basin operations,, which involved the establishment of mining operations at Kulwin the first of several, rutile-dominant mineral sands deposits in the northern part of the basin in Victoria. The commissioning and ramp-up of the project has been slower-than-targeted owing to issues associated mainly with equipment reliability and consistency of plant performance, he said. The operating performance shortfall had a negative impact on an already-poor 2009 earnings and would result in a lower than planned initial contribution in 2010.
