10 / 60
8
MODERN MINING
June 2017
MINING News
ASX-listed mineral sands producer Base
Resources has announced that, following
completion of the Definitive Feasibility
Study (DFS), its board has approved
implementation of the Kwale Phase 2
project (KP2) at its Kwale Mineral Sands
Operations (Kwale Operations) in Kenya.
The incremental capital to implement KP2
is – says Base – a modest US$13,1 million,
which will be fully funded from operating
cashflows.
The DFS has confirmed the opportunity
for significant improvement in the financial
returns for Kwale Operations through fur-
ther optimisation of the remaining mine
life. The DFS was completed internally by
Base’s project development team, sup-
ported by several specialist consulting
firms, and included an independent peer
review process.
The objective of the KP2 project is to
maximise the overall economic returns of
the Kwale Operations by implementing a
solution to maintain maximum concen-
trate feed to the Mineral Separation Plant
(MSP), and therefore final production vol-
umes, in the face of declining ore grades
expected frommid-2018 onwards. The KP2
DFS has established that this objective can
be effectively and efficiently achieved.
Base Resources approves Kwale Phase 2 project
The hydraulic mining unit (HMU) in operation at Kwale Central Dune (photo: Base Resources).
Mining at the Kwale Operations was
originally based on a conventional dozer
trap mining unit (DMU), using Caterpillar
D11T dozers to feed the DMU. Historically,
when mining the high-grade areas of the
Kwale Central Dune, DMU mining rates
of up to 1 400 tonnes per hour (tph) have
been required to ensure the wet concen-
trator plant (WCP) is fully utilised. To offset
the declining ore grades expected from
mid-2018, the KP1 mine plan assumed an
increase in the mining rate to 1 800 tph. To
achieve this higher mining rate with the
DMU alone requires the addition of a third
D11T dozer.
The KP2 pre-feasibility study deter-
mined that the optimal mining rate to
maximise the economic returns of Kwale
Operations was 2 400 tph. The KP2 pre-fea-
sibility study identified hydraulic mining as
the preferred method to complement the
DMU to achieve the targeted 2 400 tph
mining rate. Operating dual mining units
has the additional benefit of allowing con-
current mining of both the high and low
grade ore, which assists in smoothing the
grade profile to create a more consistent
feed to the WCP.
In August 2016, as part of the DFS,
a 400 tph hydraulic mining unit (HMU)
was commissioned to trial the concept.
The HMU has proven to be extremely
well suited to mining Kwale ore, achiev-
ing higher availabilities and at lower unit
operating costs than the DMU. Following
NewMD for Khoemacau Copper Mining
Cupric Canyon Capital has announced the
appointment of Johan Ferreira as Head of
African Operations and Managing Director
of Khoemacau Copper Mining. Ferreira will
lead the development of the Khoemacau
copper/silver project in the Kalahari
Copperbelt of north-west Botswana with
construction beginning towards the end
of this year. Initial production from the new
mine will average 50 000 tonnes of copper
and 1,4 Moz of silver per year over a mine
life that exceeds 25 years. Future expan-
sions are expected to increase annual
production to over 100 000 tonnes of cop-
per and 3 Moz of silver.
Ferreira began his mining career with
Anglo American in 1986, and from 2005 to
2011 he was General Manager of the Moab
Khotsong and Great Noligwa gold mines.
Subsequently, he was appointed Senior
Vice President, South Africa Operations for
AngloGold Ashanti. In 2014, he accepted
an opportunity in Ghana with Newmont
Mining Corporation as Regional Group
Executive Operations and was soon pro-
moted to Regional Senior Vice President
– Africa Region, assuming executive
responsibility for that region. While in
Ghana, he was President of the Ghana
Chamber of Mines and a Director of the
American Chamber of Commerce. He holds
a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) degree
from the University of Pretoria and sev-
eral other professional certifications and
diplomas.
Dennis Bartlett, Cupric’s Chief Executive
Officer, said, “We are excited to welcome
Johan to the Cupric team. He is a highly
experienced and accomplished mining
executive who brings the underground
mining expertise necessary to transition
the project from studies to mine develop-
ment and operations. Johan is assuming
the role previously held by Sam Rasmussen,
who completed his three-year contract in
December. Sam was instrumental in lead-
ing our efforts to complete not only the
resource drilling campaign and feasibility
study, but also to obtain the Khoemacau
mining licence. We wish Sam all the best in
his future endeavours.”
The new mine will be a mechanised
underground operation at the company’s
Zone 5 deposit. Ore will be treated at the
existing Boseto process plant, which is
located 35 km to the north-west.