Scholarlink

<p>This study presents a preliminary techno‑economic assessment of two representative Australian heavy mineral sand (HMS) operations: a wet and a dry mining operation, each connected with a mineral separation plant (MSP). Class‑4 capital expenditure is estimated at A$380&#xa0;million for the wet route (mining capacity of 2,000–4,000 t h⁻¹) and A$332&#xa0;million for the dry route (mining capacity of 350–650 t h⁻¹), with both estimates inclusive of the MSP. The wet‑concentration plant and financing/owner’s costs dominate capital cost (CAPEX), followed by mining units. Annual estimated operating expenditure is A$144&#xa0;million for wet mining and A$122&#xa0;million for dry mining, driven mainly by labour, energy, and cost of capital. Both routes produce zircon‑rich, ilmenite‑rich, and leucoxene‑rich concentrates. Treating ilmenite and leucoxene as by‑products, the production cost of zircon‑rich concentrate is A$987 t⁻¹ for the wet route and A$834 t⁻¹ for the dry route. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) modelling over a 20‑year life (10% discount rate, 30% company tax) yields a Net Present Value (NPV) of A$296&#xa0;million, Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 23%, and eight‑year Payback Period (PBP) for the wet scenario, versus A$424&#xa0;million, 32%, and five years for the dry scenario. Sensitivity analysis identifies total CAPEX and zircon‑concentrate price as the strongest input items. Under the baseline TEA scenarios, operations are powered by a combination of grid electricity and diesel. Replacing grid power with on‑site renewables can significantly reduce annual emissions, about 10–46% in the electricity‑intensive wet mining and 6–31% in the dry mining, while the former favours a modest wind‑plus‑grid mix and the latter can accommodate a larger wind‑plus‑battery system. Although preliminary and subject to further data refinement, the results indicate that Australia’s HMS projects remain economically attractive and can align with 2050 net‑zero targets if future designs integrate cost control with targeted cost-effective renewable energy sources depending on the locations. Such evaluation requires project specific data inputs and customised studies.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Techno-economic assessment of Australia’s mineral sand mining and processing, incorporating energy transition

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月4日

查看全文
  • Mahnaz Laghaei,
  • Nawshad Haque,
  • Warren J. Bruckard,
  • Mark I. Pownceby,
  • Hossein Masoumi

摘要

This study presents a preliminary techno‑economic assessment of two representative Australian heavy mineral sand (HMS) operations: a wet and a dry mining operation, each connected with a mineral separation plant (MSP). Class‑4 capital expenditure is estimated at A$380 million for the wet route (mining capacity of 2,000–4,000 t h⁻¹) and A$332 million for the dry route (mining capacity of 350–650 t h⁻¹), with both estimates inclusive of the MSP. The wet‑concentration plant and financing/owner’s costs dominate capital cost (CAPEX), followed by mining units. Annual estimated operating expenditure is A$144 million for wet mining and A$122 million for dry mining, driven mainly by labour, energy, and cost of capital. Both routes produce zircon‑rich, ilmenite‑rich, and leucoxene‑rich concentrates. Treating ilmenite and leucoxene as by‑products, the production cost of zircon‑rich concentrate is A$987 t⁻¹ for the wet route and A$834 t⁻¹ for the dry route. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) modelling over a 20‑year life (10% discount rate, 30% company tax) yields a Net Present Value (NPV) of A$296 million, Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 23%, and eight‑year Payback Period (PBP) for the wet scenario, versus A$424 million, 32%, and five years for the dry scenario. Sensitivity analysis identifies total CAPEX and zircon‑concentrate price as the strongest input items. Under the baseline TEA scenarios, operations are powered by a combination of grid electricity and diesel. Replacing grid power with on‑site renewables can significantly reduce annual emissions, about 10–46% in the electricity‑intensive wet mining and 6–31% in the dry mining, while the former favours a modest wind‑plus‑grid mix and the latter can accommodate a larger wind‑plus‑battery system. Although preliminary and subject to further data refinement, the results indicate that Australia’s HMS projects remain economically attractive and can align with 2050 net‑zero targets if future designs integrate cost control with targeted cost-effective renewable energy sources depending on the locations. Such evaluation requires project specific data inputs and customised studies.