Modern Mining May 2017 Final

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May 2017MODERN MINING7
MINING News
Alphamin appoints contractors
for its Bisie tin project in the DRC
Consultants selected for Namdini
Alphamin Resources Corp, listed on the
TSX-V, reports that construction of the
mine boxcut and upgrade of the access
road at its Bisie tin project in the DRC’s
North Kivu Province has started following
the mobilisation of two earthworks con-
tractors to site and the appointment of the
mining contractor.
The recent completion of the Front-End
Engineering Design (FEED) programme
and associated Control Budget Estimate
(CBE) by DRA Projects, the engineering,
procurement and construction contractor
for the project, confirmed the robust eco-
nomic metrics and potential of the project,
which will rank as North Kivu’s first com-
mercial mine.
The completed FEED and CBE increase
proven and probable reserves to 4,67 Mt
at 3,58 % Sn containing 16,3 kt of tin. The
optimised process flow sheet resulted in
6 % higher annual average plant through-
put rates and an increase in tin recoveries
to 73 %.
The borehole drilling to prove the cur-
rent reserves and provide mine planning
has been carried out to a depth of 550 m
below surface and 720 m down plunge.
This results in a current planned life of
mine of 12,5 years producing an average
of 373 800 tonnes of ROM per annum.
Alphamin has appointed Kongo River SA
and VRSC SARL as the project’s earthworks
contractors and Reliant Congo SARL as the
project’s Phase I mining contractor. The
appointment of these contractors followed
a stringent due diligence process and evalu-
ation of each potential contractor’s safety
records, submitted schedules, DRC experi-
ence, technical capacity and price.
VRSC has worked on the construction
of Banro Corporation’s gold mines in South
Kivu Province and the Kibali gold mine in
the north-eastern corner of the DRC.
Reliant operates in the DRC and Zambia
and reportedly has a strong track record
of safety and production. It has worked
for Glencore in the DRC and continues to
mine for Glencore in Zambia and Vedanta
Resources in India. The company is in the
process of mobilising its equipment to
begin developing the decline in early July
2017 in accordance with the project imple-
mentation schedule.
“It is very encouraging that work has
commenced, and subject to finalisation
of the full funding solution, the project is
expected to be completed on time, and
within budget, by the end of Q1 of 2019,”
says Boris Kamstra, CEO of Alphamin
Resources Corp.
“A total of 22 heavy earthmoving
machines, their operators, management,
and support have been deployed for work
at the Mpama North site and on the access
road. The work on the boxcut and the con-
tinued upgrading of the 34 km access road
have already commenced, following the
completion of the initial 9 km of the access
road upgrade to enable the carrying of
normal traffic. The access road is expected
to be completed by December 2017.”
In addition, the return airway has
advanced to 97 m, and the orebody is
expected to be intersected at 120 m.
Alphamin says that significant prog-
ress has been made towards finalising the
funding package for the project. Funding
will include a combination of debt, equity
and an equity standby facility. 
ASX-listed Cardinal Resources has
engaged LycopodiumMinerals and Golder
Associates to complete the next study
phase at its Namdini gold project in the far
north of Ghana.
Lycopodium will deliver a process pre-
feasibility study comprising the process,
associated infrastructure and tailings facil-
ities while Golder will undertake a mine
scoping study. The studies are expected to
commence shortly with completion esti-
mated in late Q3 2017.
The Namdini deposit comprises aminer-
alised system of up to 300 m in width and
extending over 1 km. Gold mineralisation
is characterised by disseminated sulphides
in sheared Birimian greenstones (metavol-
canics intruded by granite and diorite). In
November last year Cardinal declared a
4 Moz maiden JORC resource at Namdini. 