Production and shipments ramp up at Thunderbird

Sheffield Resources (ASX: SFX) has ramped up production and shipments from the Thunderbird mineral sands mine in WA.

Production has increased month on month with around 825kt of ore mined in June 2024. For the June 2024 quarter, total ore mined is expected to be 2.2mt, around 20% higher than the operating rate assumed within in the 2022 bankable feasibility study (BFS).

The increase production resulted in 55kt of ilmenite concentrate produced in June and 120kt for the quarter, while zircon concentrate was 13kt for June and 33kt for the quarter.

Additionally, the wet concentrator plant (WCP) and concentrate upgrade plant (CUP) recoveries are in line with, or above design, resulting in higher than design recovery of both zircon and ilmenite concentrate.

Plant optimisation and continuous improvement opportunities are underway with a focus on increasing zircon concentrate recovery.

June 2024 is expected to be a record month for product shipment with around 48kt of ilmenite concentrate and 22kt of zircon concentrate shipped in the month to date. A further shipment of 30kt of ilmenite concentrate began loading on June 26.

Total shipments for the June quarter will be around 190kt, and on an annualised basis, the projected June shipments will be close to 1.1mtpa.

Located in the Kimberley region of WA, Thunderbird is the first significant heavy mineral sand deposit to be discovered in the Canning Basin is one of the largest and highest-grade mineral sands deposits globally.

It contains valuable heavy minerals including ilmenite, anatase, zircon, rutile and leucoxene.