So shipping looks like the go. Look at the size of some of these...

So shipping looks like the go. Look at the size of some of these Brazilian "barges".

If the BBX deposits were running at 2g/t, the cost per tonne would mean moving the ore any distance would be out of the question, but at 300g/t we could ship it to China for processing.

Large Capacity Power Barge for Brazilian Rivers

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Trevisa Investimentos of Porto Alegre Brazil have been operating the area's largest inland river bulk carrier, the N/M Germano Beker, since the vessel's delivery in December 2005. Built in Porto Alegre by the Navegação Aliança the vessel is 110x16.2 meters with a molded depth of 5.25 meters.

To maintain the shallow draft, three electronically controlled Cummins QSK19-M engines each rated for 660 hp at 1800 RPM provide propulsion for the vessel. The engines turn four-blade 1700 by 1292 mm propellers through ZF W1900(BW191-2) gears with 4.967:1 ratios.  Design speed for the vessel is nine knots.

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Tankage is provided for 38 m3 of fuel and 22 m3 of water. The vessel accommodates a crew of seven and carries 5400 tons of bulk cargo. The cargos are primarily grains carried from port to port in southern Brazil, usually between Taquari and Porto Alegre or Rio do Soul.

This is the first vessel for Trevisa with electronic controlled Engines, but all of their 20-vessel fleet is Cummins powered. According to their web site (www.trevisa.com.br) the company's fleet capacity equals a total of 58,000 tons or the equivalent of 2300 highway trucks.

http://haig-brown.com/hottips/hotip358.htm