Mining
- The ore body has been developed
into a financible asset (Proven and Probable Reserves) for at
least 20 years of operation, with the total available resource
for expected to last more than 100 years. The taconite mine will
consist of two open pits, Pit 5 and Pit 6, which will be mined
simultaneously and will produce 13 million tonnes of ore per year
at full operation, which will be year 5. A combined total of
approximately 8.5 million tonnes of waste will be removed as
pre-production stripping to expose both ore bodies. Mining will
be performed by diesel hydraulic shovels, 200 to 240 ton haul
trucks and 16 diameter rotary blasthole drills. The striping
ratio will be 0.35:1 (waste to ore). Weekly blasts will average
350,000 tonnes.
- The ore from the mine will be
transported by haul truck to a two stage crusher less than half
a mile awaythe shortest distance on the range. After the first
stage of crushing, coarse ore (>12 material) will be separated
from the ore stream. The undersize ore (<12 material) will then
be sent to a second stage crusher to produce <3/4 material.
Both ore streams will then be transported via overland conveyor
for feed in the concentrator.
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