Mozambique Corridor Sands Ilmenite Mine On Schedule

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Inc.; Houston, Texas). The first phase of the Corridor Sands project at Chibuto in the Gaza Province of southern Mozambique will include three 125,000 ton/year direct current arc furnaces which will be in full production by 2007. The cost of the first phase will be $500 million and will see the first ilmenite smelter commissioned in 2004, with the second and third following at four-month intervals.

A bankable feasibility study is currently under way jointly sponsored by WMC of Australia and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa. This should be completed within the month of May. Southern Mining Corporation of South Africa is also a participant in the project.

The planned mine is based on deposits of heavy minerals located near Chibuto. In the full feasibility study of August 2000, the proved and probable mineral reserves of the west body of Deposit One were estimated at 1,083 million tons of mineralized sand at an average grade of 4.3% ilmenite and containing 45 million tons of ilmenite. The project is on schedule.