At Pipestone Areas 1 and 2, drilling to date has outlined a non-compliant NI 43-101 indicated resource of 156.8 million tonnes grading 5.56% TiO2, 28.11% Fe2O3 and 0.22% vanadium pentoxide (Reedman & Associates 1998). Additional infill drilling could significantly increase the resource. A preliminary mine plan has been prepared for the Pipestone by J. Reedman and Associates which classifies variou
s tonnages according to titanium dioxide cut-off grades, provides proposed open pits, and estimates stripping ratios; however more detailed drilling is required to support a 30,000 tons per day operation. Yang have provided a flow sheet for the economic processing of titanium dioxide, vanadium pentoxide and magnetite; however more metallurgical work will be required. These studies will form the basis for a feasibility study of the deposit. Paints, paper and plastics are the main users of titanium dioxide, while the magnetite and vanadium pentoxide are mostly used in the steel industry. Vanadium may play an important new role in electrical storage technology which could substantially increase demand for this metal.
