On the Western coast of South Africa, high grade heavy mineral sediment layers are found on the seashores.
Located just below a layer of fairly standard quartz sand, this heavy mineral sand can be mined. The material, which is also called HMS, has a relatively high specific gravity of 2.8T.m3 in situ.
Until recently, the mining operations in the surf zone were done conventionally using excavators and trucks. Yet they have to be relocated every time the tide comes in.
The DOP250 however can mine continuously when attached to an amphibious excavator. The DOP250 mines heavy mineral sand at a max dredging depth of 10 m. The heavy sand mixture is pumped in a concentration up to 25% over a distance of 250 m over a cliff of 15 m in height.
On shore the processing plant separates the valuable minerals from the quartz sand and stones.