Keysbrook operations to begin next week: MZI

MZI Resources is set to begin operating its $70 million Keysbrook mineral sands project near Serpentine, with development work due to wrap up next week.

In a statement today, MZI said work on the project was on budget and about a month ahead of schedule, with about 92 per cent of the work done as of the end of September.

It said final preparations were under way to begin mining operations sometime next week.

“On this basis, the company anticipates that ore feed to the wet concentrator plant at Keysbrook will be able to commence in the following week, marking the start of plant commissioning and enabling first leucoxene and zircon concentrate production at Doral’s Picton processing facility to begin during November,” MZI said.

As the project is moving ahead of schedule, the company is in discussions with its offtake partners, including US-based DuPont Titanium Technologies, about potential shipments before the end of the year.

Keysbrook is scheduled to produce over 95,000 tonnes of leucoxene and zircon products per annum.

“These are extremely exciting times, with MZI on the cusp of becoming the world’s biggest, and Western Australia’s first, primary producer of leucoxene, as well as a substantial producer of zircon,” MZI managing director Trevor Matthews said.

“Keysbrook’s low forecast operating costs and high value product mix also promise to make MZI one of the highest margin suppliers of premium mineral sands products to the global market.”

MZI shares were 6.8 per cent higher to 47 cents each at 12:50pm.