Re: Port Pirie plant almost a reality

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

John Dennis (jdennis@acslink.net.au) wrote:
> In article <Br_Q5.30$6B3.3853@news0.optus.net.au>,
>   dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage) wrote:
> > Plans for a $580 million magnesium plant near Port Pirie took a big
> > step forward yesterday with German industrial group Thyssen Krupp
> > Metalurgie agreeing to purchase 52,500 tonnes of magnesium per year.
> > The plant will process magnesite railed from Leigh Creek.

> I know nothing about magnesite ore.  Is that 52,500 tonnes the total
> amount to be railed, or that the amount of magnesite contained within an
> ore body which needs further refining/processing?  1,000 tonnes railed
> per week is hardly going to make any carrier rich.

That's 52,500t of the finished product, i.e. pure magnesium metal, to be
bought by Thyssen Krupp. Magnesite (magnesium carbonate) is 28% magnesium,
and is typically 95% pure in Australian deposits. 52,500t means an
absolute minimum of 195,000t pa of magnesite ore to be railed from Leigh
Creek.

There is also a large market for calcined, sintered and fused magnesia
(magnesium oxide), produced by roasting the magnesite. The current world
demand for magnesia is about 6.3 million tonnes pa and growing.

Magnesia has been used in the past for steam locomotive boiler insulation.

Cheers
David