Tiger hopes for 2016 restart to Kipoi mining
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Copper cathode producer Tiger Resources is hoping to reactivate its Kipoi central openpit mine during 2016.
Interim CEO Michael Griffiths told Mining Weekly Online that the planning process for the reactivation was currently being undertaken as the miner prepared for the end-life of its current floats and stockpiles, which was supporting copper cathode production through its solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX-EW) plant, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The SX-EW plant achieved its nameplate capacity of 25 000 t/y in May 2014, prompting Tiger to close its heavy media separation plant and cease copper-in-concentrate production.
The SX-EW plant made use of some 6.1-million tonnes of residue material, grading 2.4% copper, which was available in the form of floats, slimes and run-of-mine ore stockpiles, and had allowed Tiger to suspend mining operations for a period of two years.
Griffiths said limited work would be required to restart the openpit operation, adding that Tiger had maintained its mining team throughout the mining hiatus, which would allow for a quick restart.
“From the top, we have to do a cut-back, so [there is] a fair bit of waste to remove to get to the orebody, but certainly there is no real impediment for us heading down that path. We have plenty of space to put waste; it will be quite a simple restart.”
No capital estimates for the restart of openpit operations have been made available.
The ASX-listed company was currently looking at debottlenecking its SX-EW plant, allowing copper cathode production to increase from the nameplate capacity of 25 000 t/y to 32 500 t/y.
The project would require a capital investment of some A$25-million and could result in an average life-of-mine operating cost of $1.27/lb.
The optimsation presumed the resumption of mining in the third quarter of 2016. The production schedule was based solely on Kipoi Central ore feed, with ore to be sourced from Kipoi North and Kileba in later years.
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