Average annual production at Grande Côte is projected at about 575,000 mt of ilmenite, 80,000 mt of zircon, 6,000 mt of rutile, and 11,000 mt of leucoxene. Capital cost to develop the project, including con- tingency, is estimated at $406 million. Production is planned to begin in 2013.

The Grande Côte reserves are located in a coastal dune system starting about 50 km northeast of Dakar and extending northward for more than 100 km. The mineralized dune system averages 4 km in width and contains largely un-vegetated sand masses. The project area is 445.7 km2. Both the dunes and the underlying marine sands con- tain heavy minerals, principally ilmenite, with accessory zircon, rutile and leucoxene.

Mining will be carried out by dredging a continuous canal (dredge path) through the dunal orebody at a projected mining rate of about 55 million mt/y of sand. The dredge will float on an artificial pond, accompanied by a floating spiral concentrator. A tailings stacker will deposit tailings into the mined canal behind the concentrator to achieve a final landform. Detailed flowsheets, plant layouts, and the plant design basis for the project were developed by Ausenco.

Ilmenite will be transported in bulk by road to a railhead 25 km from the mine site and then by the existing rail system to the Port of Dakar. Zircon, rutile, and leu- coxene will be transported to the port in shipping containers by trucks via 125 km of existing paved road.