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Great Western Minerals Group announced that it has contracted DRA Mineral Projects (Pty) Ltd. of South Africa, a company with a strong track record of utilizing world class standards, for the detailed design of the Steenkampskraal processing plant.
DRA is a multi-disciplinary, multi-national organization that specializes in the mining, infrastructure and mineral processing industries. As one of the largest project management enterprises in Africa, the South African-founded group of companies has constructed plants on five continents. DRA is highly regarded for managing projects with a “zero harm” focus, as evidenced by its excellent safety record. All of DRA’s world class quality standards, systems and procedures are based on ISO standards. The processing plant, as the first step in the production process in which Rare Earth ore is converted into Rare Earth chlorides, will be located at the Steenkampskraal mine site. The plant detailed design project is expected to be completed by December 2011. The processing plant will "crack" the monazite ore through a caustic leaching process, removing copper and gold by flotation. Tri-sodium phosphate will also be produced as a by-product with the potential for onward sales. The thorium contained in the Rare Earth ore will be removed at the processing stage, and be readied for licensed storage, leaving a clean rare earth chloride ready for the solvent extraction separation phase as at the recently announced Rare Earth materials facility. GWMG President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Engdahl said, “Awarding the contract for the detailed design of the processing plant at our Steenkampskraal operation is yet another significant step forward in the execution of our plan to become a fully integrated Rare Earth producer by early 2013.” “Contracting DRA, with its strong track record of superior performance, ensures we can achieve world class design and construction standards within the processing plant, combined with cutting edge technology,” Engdahl added. |
