Ferrous Resources’ Mina Viga project is located in Congonhas, Minas Gerais, Brazil and has a total mineral resource of 1.5 billion tonnes of iron ore. The operation has a Rail Terminal that connects the rail link of MRS Logística which transports the ore from Ferrous to the Itaguai port in Rio de Janeiro. Ferrous Resources aimed to produce 17 mt/y at Viga.
Ausenco began working with Ferrous in 2009. In 2010, we delivered the concept study and basic design of onshore and offshore facilities for the President Kennedy Terminal, including dynamic simulation studies which optimised the required equipment. We then delivered a bankable feasibility study with the objective of consolidating all data related to the expansion project. The success of the engineering developed by Ausenco, and the partnership established with Ferrous Resources over the years, resulted in Ausenco being contracted, along with ARCADIS Logos, to provide EPCM services for this project.
The project includes construction of all unit operations for a new Beneficiation Plant (crushing, screening, grinding and classification, de-sliming, flotation, thickening and filtration), as well as associated infrastructure which includes the rail load out terminal.
Initially, Ausenco consolidated the basic engineering and made adjustments to the process based on test results. Following this work, the detailed design and implementation at Project Viga 15 will proceed including:
- Planning, control and measurement
- Construction management
- Commissioning
- Supply management, logistics and warehousing.
The project has currently been stopped after the completion of the basic design and waits for new definition of Ferrous.