australia's identified mineral resources 2005 - Geoscience Australia

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AUSTRALIA’S IDENTIFIED MINERAL RESOURCES 2005 Vanadium Vanadium is used in metal alloys with iron to produce high strength steel, which has a wide range of uses including the manufacture of axles and crankshafts for the automobile industry and jet engines for the aircraft industry. Mine production accounts for only approximately 20% of annual world production of vanadium, the majority of world production (80%) is a by-product from reprocessing of steel slags, oil refining, and the uranium enrichment industry. While there are a number of vanadium deposits in Australia, Windimurra (75 km southeast of Mount Magnet, WA), has been the only mining operation in recent years. Resources Australia currently has no EDR of vanadium. Following closure of the Windimurra mine and processing plant (refer ‘Industry Developments’ below) the large resources for this deposit have been reclassified as paramarginal resources. Significant tonnages of vanadium are classified at subeconomic paramarginal and submarginal resources within deposits in the Yilgarn (Windimurra, Gabanintha) and Pilbara regions (Balla Balla, Don Well) of Western Australia. Exploration There was virtually no exploration for vanadium during the year. Production Vanadium-bearing ore was not mined in Australia during 2004. Most of the world’s mine vanadium production during the period was from South Africa (45%), China (30%), and Russia (23%). Industry Developments Mining at Windimurra ceased in late 2003 and the mine closed in May 2004. Processing plant and equipment were removed from the site during the latter part of the year. Xstrata AG reported that the operations were uneconomic in recent years at prevailing prices of US$1.70–1.80 per pound V 2 O 5 . Prices for V 2 O 5 were less than US$1.50 per pound throughout the period 2000 to 2002 and US$1.70–$1.80 during 2003. Prices have steadily increased since to more than US$8.70 per pound V 2 O 5 by the end of 2004. An inquiry into the closure of Windimurra was conducted by the Government of Western Australia. It found that the mine’s three-year period of operation was hampered by a number of challenges, including a downturn in world vanadium prices, an increase in the value of the Australian dollar, and difficulties in recoveries of magnetite in the processing plant. Recommendations from the inquiry included a need for the Government to protect its interests in light of decisions made by multinational companies relating to mining projects. 70 During 2004, metallurgical test work was carried out on the Barrambie and Gabanintha vanadium prospects in Western Australia. At the Barrambie Ti-V-Fe project (65 km NW of Sandstone), Reed Resources Ltd completed test work on ore to evaluate metallurgical processes for producing titanium slag, pig iron and vanadium. Work focussed on optimising production of ilmenite concentrates suitable for upgrading to titanium slag or synthetic rutile. At the Gabanintha V-Ti project (40 km SE of Meekatharra WA), Greater Pacific Gold investigated the metallurgy and technology required to extract vanadium and titanium. The company also drilled large-diameter-cored holes to acquire sample material for further metallurgical test work.
AUSTRALIA’S IDENTIFIED MINERAL RESOURCES 2005 Zinc, Lead, Silver The construction and appliance manufacturing industries use large amounts of zinc, mainly as coatings on steel beams, sheet steel and vehicle panels in the automotive industry. It is also used in alloy die cast products, zinc pigments, zinc salts, zinc oxide as additives to rubber and for zinc chemicals in agriculture, and for wrought or rolled zinc products. The widespread occurrence, relatively simple extraction, and combination of desirable properties have made lead useful to humans since at least 5000 BC. In deposits mined today, lead (in the form of galena, PbS) is usually associated with zinc, silver and commonly copper, and is extracted as a co-product of these metals. More than half of the lead utilised today comes from recycling, rather than mining. The largest use is in batteries for vehicles and communications. Less important uses include cable sheathing, solder, casting alloys, chemical compounds, ammunition, glass in TV and computer screens for radiation protection, and ceramics. Its use as a petrol additive has declined significantly with the gradual introduction of lead-free petrol worldwide. New uses for lead could be in large storage batteries used for load-levelling of electrical power and in electric vehicles. The relative scarcity, attractive appearance and malleability of silver make it suitable for use in jewellery, ornaments and silverware. Its extensive use in coins throughout history has declined over the last forty years. In Australia, the 1966 fifty-cent piece was the last coin in general use to contain silver (80% silver, 20% copper). Silver is mined and produced mainly as a co-product of copper, lead, zinc, and to a lesser extent, gold. Today, photographic paper and film, followed by the electronics and jewellery/tableware industries are the most important users of silver. Demand for silver as an anti-bacterial agent is likely to double over the next few years as its use increases in water treatment (as an ioniser with copper in domestic swimming pools) and for biocide and bacteriostatic activity in plastic and textiles formulations. Silver based biocides are also being tested as a replacement for arsenic based preservatives in wood treatment. Resources Australia’s total resources of zinc, lead and silver increased in 2004. Total identified resources of zinc increased by almost 10 Mt to 89.3 Mt of contained zinc; lead from 55.2 Mt to 56.8 Mt of contained lead; and silver from 107.3 kt to 109 kt of contained silver. ZINC EDR of zinc at 41 Mt is the world’s largest holding, accounting for over 18% of world’s total. Queensland remained pre-eminent, its EDR increasing from 20.5 Mt to 26.6 Mt (65% of EDR). The rise in EDR was affected predominantly by reclassification of resources and improved grades at Mt Isa and George Fisher (including the Hilton orebody), while resources in other deposits were unchanged. The Northern Territory at 9.4 Mt again had the second largest EDR and its share of the total category was 23% compared to 29% in 2003. New South Wales had the third largest EDR with 2.7 Mt (2.8 Mt in 2003). The decrease was primarily due to depletion of resources through production. Western Australia's EDR increased to just under 1.5 Mt, (1 Mt in 2003), mainly through reclassification of resources at the Jaguar deposit. Victoria remained unchanged at 0.39 Mt. Tasmania's EDR increased to 0.43 Mt (0.29 Mt in 2003). Of Australia’s EDR of zinc, over 50% is in JORC ore reserve categories, compared to almost 65% in 2003. The ratio of EDR to production is just over 30 and ore reserves to production close to 16. 71 Paramarginal demonstrated resources of zinc increased from 6.3 Mt to 8.5 Mt due to reclassification of the Mt Isa and George Fisher resources. Submarginal demonstrated resources fell slightly from 16 Mt to 15 Mt over the year. These variations are attributed to relatively small changes in most states and the Northern Territory. Total inferred zinc resources decreased by 20% to 25.2 Mt in 2004 following the reclassification of resources, particularly Mt Isa and George Fisher.
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