Modern Mining November 2017

COPPER

be managed and undertaken by Nzuri. Contract mining was evaluated during the FS and, based on tender prices, was not considered to be cost effective. A process route was prepared incorporat- ing the engineering and metallurgical design criteria derived from the results of the metal- lurgical test work and comminution circuit modelling. Detailed flow sheets, plant layouts and the plant design basis were developed by Lycopodium. The treatment plant design incor- porates the following unit process operations:  primary crushing to produce a coarse, crushed product;  a live surge bin with a dead stockpile from which mineralised material can be reclaimed via a vibrating pan feeder to feed the scrubber and DMS circuit;

(10 %) and the DRC Government (5 %). GICC is a Congolese company which is 90 %-owned by Theo Mahuku, a Congolese businessman who works with multiple listed companies. A detailed geotechnical assessment for the Kalongwe open pit was completed by special- ist consultants Peter O’Bryan and Associates (PBA). Four holes were drilled specifically to collect geotechnical data. Geotechnical logging of drill core was completed along with geotech- nical testing of selected drill core. The Kalongwe open-pit mining area was divided into two geotechnical domains/design sectors, the eastern and western domains, based principally on interpreted rock weathering depth. Open-pit design criteria were developed for each sector. A groundwater evaluation was carried out by specialist consultants Knight Piésold (KP) as part of the FS. The aim of the evaluation was to assess the life of mine de-watering require- ments for the open pit. To limit the groundwater inflows into the pit and to depressurise the pit walls for slope stability, a borefield was recommended by KP. Nzuri has elected to install this borefield earlier than necessary in the mine life to commence this depressurisation early. The proposed mining method at Kalongwe is conventional open-pit mining. Mine opera- tions will utilise conventional drill-and-blast, truck-and-shovel open-pit mining methods and technologies proven at other locations throughout the region. All these activities will

Kalongwe project showing the future open-pit area.

Core logging at the Kalongwe site.

November 2017  MODERN MINING  23