Name of the Project
Mbeya (formerly Rukwa) coal-to-power project (MCPP).

Location
Tanzania.

Client
Kibo Mining.

Project Description
A mining  definitive  feasibility  study (MDFS) on the MCPP has confirmed the Mbeya coal mine as a robust project with strong financial and commercial indicators.

The MDFS comprised the optimisation of the mine design, a detailed mine design based on the results from the restated Mbeya coal resource and the final coal requirement for the Mbeya power station as stated in the power definitive feasibility study (PDFS).

Kibo increased the total mineral resource of the project in April 2016 from 109.2-million tonnes, disclosed in the 2012 resource statement, to 120.8-million tonnes, comprising a measured resource of 20.9-million tonnes, an indicated resource of 88.6-million tonnes and an inferred resource of 11.3-million tonnes.

Results from the MDFS correlate accurately with those of the mining prefeasibility study (MPFS) completed in August 2015, and have reconfirmed the Mbeya coal mine as a robust project with strong financial and commercial indicators.

It has been proven that constant coal production over the total life-of-mine (LoM) can be achieved.

The mining method developed for the Mbeya coal mine has been confirmed as modified terrace mining.

Overburden will be removed using a free dig (truck-and-shovel) method, with coal seam and interburden mining using mechanised continuous surface mining.

The mining project has been assessed for a 28-year mine life, with average coal production estimated at 1.49-million tons over the LoM. The coal will be fed into a mine-mouth thermal power station.

The Mbeya PDFS, completed in May 2016, has confirmed the primary base case recommended by the power prefeasibility study (power-PFS) as the optimal selection for final design of the station, which comprises circulating fluidised-bed boiler technology and 300 MW, configured as 2 × 150 MW units.

The power-PFS production target of 1 840 GWh/y has also been confirmed.

Average coal consumption has been confirmed at 1 497 432 t/y, using run-of mine product from the colocated mine site and within mine design parameters.

Minor technical concerns identified during the power-PFS were eliminated during the PDFS.

Further, based on the recently restated Mbeya coal resource, the PDFS includes provision for near-term expansion of the power station to at least 600 MW.

Jobs to be Created
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The MDFS has estimated the internal rate of return at 69.2% – a 15% improvement from 53.9% stated in the MPFS – with a payback of 2.4 years  – a 7% improvement from 2.6 years stated in the MPFS.

Value
The MDFS has estimated the peak funding requirement for the project at $17-million a 54% reduction from the MPFS.

The PDFS has confirmed the total estimated project cost of the thermal power plant as well below the cost estimate stated in the power-PFS.

The positive PDFS results will further improve the already strong financial feasibility figures of the MCPP.

Duration
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Kibo has agreed to a three-week extension for the determination of the final development amount still owed by China-based contractor Sepco III as part of a redefined agreement for the progression of the MCPP.

The agreement, which was signed in August, enabled Sepco III to earn the right to become the sole bidder for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build the power plant component of MCPP in return for refunding 50% of the total development costs on the project incurred by Kibo to date.

A new deadline of October 14 will replace the initial September 22 deadline by which the parties will need to agree on the final development cost amount, the total refund amount and the payment due date.

This follows both parties’ underestimation of the amount of work involved in undertaking an independent audit of the development costs incurred over several years.

Kibo and the project’s definitive feasibility study consultants Tractebel Engineering will meet with Sepco III in Qingdao, China, on October 14 to assess and review Sepco III’s progress in preparing the EPC bid for the power component of the MCPP.

A delay in finalising this element of the agreement is not going to affect either party’s commitment and willingness to continue in parallel with the preparation and finalisation of the EPC bid, Kibo CEO Louis Coetzee has said.

The agreement will result in Sepco III being awarded the EPC contract in December, subject to its bid proposal meeting the EPC specification defined by Kibo and Tractebel, along with several other conditions.

Sepco III’s first payment of $1.8-million was made on September 5.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Not stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Kibo Mining, tel +353 91 865367, fax +353 91 755066 or email info@kibomining.com.