TSX-V-listed minerals explorer and developer Deep-South Resources has appointed engineering and environmental consulting firm Knight Piésold Consulting to conduct scoping studies and assessments on the Haib copper project, in Namibia.

Knight Piésold, with an office in Namibia since 2008, has extensive experience in environmental, bulk water supply, power and heap leaching projects in Namibia and Southern Africa.

The scoping studies include a water supply scoping study, in which Knight Piésold will undertake a high-level assessment of the various water options available to the Haib project from surface and groundwater sources.

Aspects to consider for this study include the costs, reliability and environmental processes required, with a special focus on gaps and recommendations for future studies.

The firm will also undertake an alternative power supply scoping study, whereby Knight Piésold will assess various power options available to the Haib project, including renewable power, and will preliminarily size the required infrastructure.

For this study, the firm will consider technical requirements, costs, reliability, environmental and permitting processes required.

Knight Piésold will also conduct an environmental reconnaissance and roadmap to the environmental- and social-impact assessment (ESIA), in which it will assess the various parameters and conditions needed to complete an ESIA and will deliver a roadmap to ESIA, and recommendations, particularly in terms of project schedule and key milestones to be achieved.

Lastly, the firm will also conduct a heap leach pad conceptual assessment, which requires a review of previously completed work, conceptual sizing and design of the heap leach pad, ponds and irrigation system and recommendations for future studies.

For this assessment, Knight Piésold will review leach column tests, conceptual sizing of the heap leach pad and ponds, dynamic water balance, review alternatives, conduct gap analysis, identify project risks and make recommendations.

Deep-South president and CEO Pierre Leveille says Knight Piésold has vast experience in Namibia. “We are confident that their studies will provide strong guidance and will add value to the project.”

Deep-South holds a 100% interest in the Haib copper deposit in the south of Namibia, the project being one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in Africa.

A recent preliminary economic assessment showed that at a copper price of $3/lb, Haib will generate an after-tax net present value of $950-million and an after-tax internal rate of return of 30%.