Name of the Project
Fungoni mineral sands project.

Location
The project is located about 25 km from the Port of Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania.

Client
Jacana Minerals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Strandline Resources.

Project Description
A definitive feasibility study (DFS) has confirmed that the proposed project will deliver strong financial returns, has a high unit-value product suite and is capital efficient.

The project has a mine life of 6.2 years; however, there is potential to extend the life-of-mine (LoM) by further optimising the mine pits as product pricing improves, thus expanding the mineral resource that can be mined profitably.

The project has a mineral resource estimate of 22-million tonnes at 2.8% total heavy minerals (THMs), with 41% classified in the measured category and 59% in the indicated category. Initial ore reserves have been estimated at 12.3-million tonnes grading 3.9% THMs.

The project is based on mining ore at two-million tonnes a year using multiple stages of beneficiation and mineral separation equipment on site to produce saleable, low-impurity, premium-quality industrial mineral products.

The high-grade orebody is exposed at surface, with the mineralisation showing strong geological continuity along strike and at depth. 

Potential Job Creation
The project is expected to create 100 direct job opportunities.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a net present value, at a 10% discount rate, of $42.9-million and an internal rate of return of 56.2%, with a payback of 2.72 years.

Value
Preproduction capital expenditure is estimated at $29.95-million.

Duration
Following a decision to mine the project schedule from the start of the project to completion, first production is expected in 52 weeks.

Latest Developments
Strandline Resources has signed a binding sales contract with China’s Maoming Ubridge Group Mineral Industry Company for all the ilmenite to be produced at its Fungoni project over the life of the project.

MD Luke Graham has said that establishing this strategic offtake relationship with Maoming represents another important milestone for Strandline, ensuring that the company remains on track to commercialise what is the first in its pipeline of “outstanding mineral sands assets” in Tanzania.

“The agreement provides a strong endorsement for the Fungoni project and the high-quality of the chloride ilmenite, which will be produced over the life of the mine.”

Fungoni’s ilmenite production is expected to generate about 28% of the project’s total revenues, with about 62% of revenues generated from zircon-monazite product, and about 10% from rutile production.

Strandline signed a binding offtake agreement in January for the full zircon-monazite product to be produced at the Fungoni mine, after reaching an agreement with China’s Hainan Wensheng High-Tech materials.

Sales discussions for the rutile product is now well under way.

“With the environment certificate already received for the project, Strandline is now awaiting approval of its mining licence from the Tanzanian Mining Commission, at which time the project funding can be finalised,” Graham has said.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
GR Engineering Services (process and nonprocess infrastructure design, DFS compilation, and the development of overall capital and operating cost estimates); IHC Robbins (geology and mineral resource estimation); AMC Consultants (mine study and ore reserve development); Knight Piésold (hydrology, hydrogeology, tailings storage facility design and geotechnics); TZ Minerals International (product marketing study and commodity price forecast); Allied Mineral Laboratories (bulk metallurgical testwork and analysis); Environmental Resource Consultants (land access compensation and resettlement planning); and Kiv Five Consultants (environmental-impact assessment and environmental management plan).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Strandline Resources, tel +61 8 9226 3130, fax +61 8 9485 2070 or email enquiries@strandline.com.au.