Name of the Project
Parys Mountain copper/lead/zinc project.

Location
North Wales, in the UK.

Project Owner/s
Anglesey Mining.

Project Description
A scoping study has reported positive results. 

The selected base case envisages a mining rate of 1 000 t/d to produce an average output of 14 000 t/y of zinc concentrate at 57% zinc, 7 200 t/y of lead concentrate at 52% lead and 4 000 t/y of copper concentrate at 25% copper over an initial mine life of eight years.

The study is based on a surface decline to access the White Rock zone. The proposed decline will be developed by mining contractors and used as the initial means of access to the resource for development and mining.

Mined ore will be trucked up the decline to the proposed surface processing plant.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The base case yields a pretax net present value, at a 10% discount rate, of $33.2-million and an internal rate of return of 28.3%, with a payback of four years.

Capital Expenditure
The initial capital cost for mine development is estimated at $13-million, for the concentrator at $29.5-million, the dense-medium separation plant at $3-million and infrastructure at $10-million, for a total of $53-million. A $4-million contingency provision is included.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Anglesey Mining has started a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for its Parys Mountain base and precious metals project, targeting a longer mine life beyond those indicated previously.

The PEA follows from the optimisation studies recently completed by QME Mining Technical Services (QME), which highlighted up to ten-million tonnes of potentially mineable material available at Parys Mountain, which is significantly larger than the 2.1-million tonnes of indicated resource that was used in the 2017 scoping study.

As a result of the QME work, the planned production rate of 1 000 t/d used in 2017 will be expanded, and the projected mine life of eight years will be significantly extended.

"The QME optimisation work has given us a sound basis from which to complete the PEA. We are confident that the results from the PEA will confirm our expectation . . .  of the mineral resources at Parys Mountain, and will demonstrate improved outcomes and a longer mine life beyond those indicated previously,” CEO Bill Hooley has said.

Mincon International, which prepared the 2012 resource estimate and the 2017 scoping study, was appointed to conduct the PEA for project.

The PEA will be finalised by the end of November, after which Anglesey plans to complete a preliminary feasibility study to support financing for development of the mine at Parys Mountain.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Micon and Fairport Engineering (scoping study and PEA) and QME (optimisation study).

Contact Details for Project Information
Anglesey Mining, tel + 44 1407 831275 or email mail@angleseymining.co.uk.