Dry mining method proposed for Sigatoka iron sands project

A dry mining method using front-end loaders and mobile screening equipment is proposed for the initial phase of the Sigatoka Iron Sands Project.

Magma Mines Pte Limited engineer Peter Hinner said the method would allow the company to extract sand, separate unwanted gravel and recover magnetite through a processing plant.

He said the mobile screening plant would move around the mining site as operations progressed, remaining close to the extraction area.

The equipment would screen the material before water was added and the resulting slurry pumped through flexible hoses to the main processing plant.

Mr Hinner said the main plant would remain in one location throughout the proposed operation.

"There's only one of these positions operating at any time," he said, explaining that the mobile screening equipment could move up to approximately 1.5 kilometres from the processing plant.

The processing operation would separate magnetite from construction sand using specialised magnetic separation equipment.

He said the magnetite would be recovered through a rotating drum containing stationary magnets, allowing magnetic material to be captured while non-magnetic sand fell away.

The plant would also include a system to clarify and recycle process water.

Mr Hinner said the equipment was based on established technology used in mineral sands operations internationally.

He said the initial surface mining phase was expected to last approximately six to seven years.

The company was also considering a subsequent mining phase below the water table using a small suction dredge.

The proposed mining method was outlined during the project's environmental impact assessment review in Nadroga.