The mine, known as the Yogi Operation will produce approximately a total of 310 Million Tons (MT) of iron ore with a strip ratio of 1.7:1 to 1.9:1, resulting in a total estimated mining volume of 906 MT. The comprehensive pit design spans 4.5 km in length, 600 meters in width, and extends to approximately 260 meters deep. The ore body is still open to the north and south and will be the target of future explorations. Preliminary mining scheduling indicates an annual combined mining volume of approximately 54 MT. 20 MT of ore of a grade between 29% – 31% Fe will be processed to produce 5 MT of Magnetite Concentrate at a grade of 66% – 67% Fe with low impurities.
The process plant will utilise 2 x 2.5 MT magnetitic separation units to recover the Magnetite Concentrate. FIJV will employ techniques that have been developed and refined over the years by technology providers to produce magnetite concentrate. FIJV specialises in magnetite recovery and is confident that its proven methods will ensure the highest quality output. The magnetite concentrate will be transported to the Port of Geraldton via a slurry pipeline. The concentrate will be dewatered and the recovered water will be returned to Yogi via a return water pipeline and reused. A 350 mm carbonate Steel pipeline will be utilised for the slurry and a 300 mm carbonate Steel pipe for the return water.
Water conservation will be a priority for FIJV, employing dry stack tailing systems to minimize project water consumption. An estimated 76% of the water consumed in processing and concentrate transport will be reclaimed and reintroduced into the processing circuit.
A mining fleet composed of 26 x 240 class trucks is estimated to meet the mining schedule. Additionally, 4 x 600-ton excavators will be essential to meet production targets. Drill and Blast operations will utilize large downhole hammer rigs, with explosives sourced from FIJV’s onsite facilities.
The power of the project will be delivered by a diverse and environmentally friendly energy solution, a combination of renewable energy and gas. The project energy demand will be around 71 MW which will be provided by the hybrid power plant. Gas will be supplied from the Dampier to Bunbury Pipeline and/or the new Northern Goldfields Interconnect (NGI) pipeline, which is located 18 kilometres south of the Yogi Project.
Construction will require between 1000-1100 people and the operational phase will employ approximately 700 people. All of these people will be accommodated in FIJV’s 1000-room accommodation Village. The village will be constructed to a high standard and will include first-class employee amenities. The village design will focus on developing a community rather than the standard camp concept. The workforce for the project will be sourced from various key points within Australia and focus on Western Australia. FIJV will offer a combination of FIFO from Perth on a 50-minute flight and bus in-between options from Geraldton and the Midwest regions.
