JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed junior Blackthorn Resources expects to deliver the prefeasibility study (PFS) for its Zambia-based Kitumba resource by the end of July.
The junior miner started the PFS on the flagship deposit, which formed part of Blackthorn’s Mumbwa copper project, in January, following the successful completion of a scoping study last year.
“There has been considerable progress made at Kitumba and we continue to see positive economic potential [for] the project. The PFS is progressing well and is an essential step in preparing an application for a mining licence later in the year,” said Blackthorn MD Scott Lowe.
The study, led by Lycopodium Minerals, also incorporated the revised 2013 Kitumba Mineral Resource estimate and geological model, based on the recently completed Phase 6 drilling programme, which revealed a total indicated mineral resource of about 87.6-million tons at 1.17% copper and 0.03 g/t gold.
The mining and mine geotechnical preliminary geotechnical assessment based on Phase 6 resource-drilling data had started, while the metallurgy work was “well advanced” and providing some encouraging preliminary results, Lowe commented.
Blackthorn was currently in talks with Zambian State-owned power company Zesco, with indications of new large-scale power supply infrastructure development.
Possible water sources in the forms of a perennial flowing river and groundwater sources were identified.
The company had also completed the draft project design criteria, as well as the preliminary process flow diagrams and mass balances, as well as the preliminary designs for the tailings storage facility.