Experience of Principals and Associates at Sierra Rutile

Experience of the Principals and Associates included responsibilities for mining operations including geology, mine planning, dredging and floating plants, production processing, metallurgy, shipping, marine operations, advising marketing on the production specification and engineering operations including construction and maintenance of the total facility i.e. process plants, power house and distribution system, workshops, garages and infrastructural support.

Civil engineering experience included rresponsibility for major civil engineering work including roads, dams and canal construction. The Principals and Associates were also responsible for managing of a large capital intensive project for the design, development and construction of an integrated dredge and power house complex valued at $75 million involving major international companies, financial institutions, development banks and government agencies.

Specific Projects Handled were:

• The engineering, design, procurement and implementation work for the conversion of a 500 tonnes/hour concentrating plant to 800 tonnes/hour. Project value (US$10 million).
• Upgrade of the Dry Separation Plant to increase annual production from 90,000 mt to 120,000 mt. Project value (US$1 million).
• Design and construction of a 50 tonne/hour Feed Preparation Plant involving spirals, concentrating tables and attritioners. Project value (US$5 million).
• Design of a US$10 million facility to produce zircon, from mine tailings involving a patented flotation process.
• Design and construction of a 25 MT per hour and a 50 MT per hour tailings retreatment plant. Project value (US$7.5 million).
• The planning and supervision of the movement by canal between deposits of a 4000 tonnes dredge, 3000 tonnes floating wet plant and associated equipment in moves of 8 and 15 miles. This involved the canal excavation, determination of water level requirements, implementation of water control measures etc.
• The major project for the design and supervision of the hydrology and civil engineering work required for the dredging of ponds totalling twenty-one earth dams, three canals and over twenty miles of roads. Project Value (US$40 million).
• Feasibility work into supplemental mining production involving the introduction of a bucket wheel dredge and dry mining schemes for undredgeable smaller deposits.
• The engineering, management, operation and maintenance of a 9-unit 18.3 MW power generating and distribution system generating 80 million-kilowatt hours annually. Annual operating and maintenance budget was US$10 million.
• The engineering, design, procurement, contract negotiations and management of the construction of a 4-unit 20 MW power station. Project value (US$20 million). This was a sub project of the main Option 3 Project.
• Development and implementation of a Computerised Maintenance Engineering and Planning System for the total facility.
• The engineering, design and implementation of the project for the Upgrading of the Power Distribution System from 15 kV to 46 kV. The project was valued at US$1 million.
• The engineering, design, procurement and implementation of the project to increase the capacity of the Powerhouse by 7.5 MW. The project was valued at US$2 million.
• Development and implementation of a Computerised Maintenance Engineering and Planning System for the total facility.
• The management of a large capital intensive project for the design, development and construction of an integrated dredge and power house complex valued at US$75 million involving major international companies, financial institutions, development banks and government agencies.
• Conducting a five-year feasibility investigation into the viability of future rutile mining including the development of a new financial model that formed an integral part of the strategic business development plan for the next fifteen years.

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