Arc Minerals has reported that the Kalaba Demonstration Pilot Plant has now been completed and successfully commissioned with the initial production of copper/cobalt sulphide concentrate.
Image: A copper native. Photo: courtesy of Native_Copper_Macro_Digon3.jpg: “Jonathan Zander (Digon3)" derivative work: Materialscientist (talk)/Wikipedia.
The Company is finalising detailed oxide resource tonnages, grades and mining plans in line with the completion of the block modelling of the overall oxide resource.
The block model assessment of the ore body will provide the basis for a review of operational and mining strategy including the cost benefit potential of upgrading the oxide ore feed into the plant aimed at materially reducing consumption of acid and related input costs.
Initial production will incur no mining cost as the plant feed will be drawn down from the existing stockpile of 10,000 tonnes at 2% copper.
The potential to enhance revenue streams through the production of separate copper and cobalt sulphide precipitates is also being investigated.
Nick von Schirnding, Executive Chairman of Arc Minerals commented: “I am very pleased to report that we delivered on our commitment to complete the construction and commissioning of the small-scale demonstration pilot plant at Kalaba. We have now completed the plant under budget – for less than half a million dollars. It is also an important step regarding Zamsort’s previous commitments in terms of its exploration licenses.
“In the meantime, we have made major progress regarding our next phase of exploration and our newly identified targets. A more detailed update on this will be made shortly.”
Source: Company Press Release