JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed African Copper has mined 45 095 t of direct-feed ore at the Mowana mine, in Botswana, in August and September, followed by 41 702 t of ore in October, the company reported on Tuesday.

African Copper, which restarted the Mowana mine in August with the mobilisation of a new mining contractor, said that grades were above target.

The August and September grade at 1,45% copper was an increase of 18% above the targeted grade. The October grade was 1,42% copper, versus a target grade of 1,29% copper.

African Copper CEO Chris Fredericks has noted that management’s focus would remain directed at increasing processed volumes, the optimisation of recovery and consistency in the quality of concentrate produced.

African Copper said that initial focus had been on supplying fresh feed ore from the open-pit supplemented with tonnage from the 150 000 t high-grade stockpile remaining from previous mining.

Plant operations were restarted in late August after minor refurbishments of the crushing units and commissioning of the dry tailings facility. Since restarting operations, a total of 2 427 t of concentrate has been produced with an average grade of 25,32% copper, up to the end of October.

Recoveries have improved since start up to 51% up from 35% reflecting progressive operational tuning of the flotation circuit.

“It is encouraging that operational key performance areas continue to reflect positive trends. Re-induction and development of the predominantly local workforce and the integration of new managerial processing experience has contributed positively to the goal of attaining steady state running conditions,” said Fredericks.

On October 5, copper off-take logistics restarted with MRI Trading AG with the first shipment of copper concentrate leaving by road. Copper concentrate shipments up to end of October have been 1 450 t, the company reported.

Meanwhile, a Botswana consultant has been engaged to carry out the necessary archaeological and environmental mitigation work at the Thakadu copper deposits .

Examination of existing geological data was undertaken for the Thakadu/Makala areas with locations requiring follow up geological work being identified. The aim of this work is to find additional exploitable resources/ reserves in close proximity to the known Thakadu and Makala deposits.

African Copper noted that during July 2009, Matsitama successfully renewed for a further two year period the four main exploration licences in the highly prospective Matsitama Schist Belt.

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