JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed Amur Minerals has started the development process for its 350 km access road that will link its Kun-Manie project site to the Ulak rail station on the Baikal-Amur rail line.
The company has engaged Cevi Constuzioni (CC) to undertake the inaugural step in the design of the road. According with Russian requirements, the first component of the access road work will consist of a desktop review of the current design route and the parameters used in its generation. CC will start work on Monday and expects to conclude its review in 8 to 12 weeks.
Once this phase is completed, a second desktop study will be implemented, which will consist of a more detailed and comprehensive design. In this phase, capital and operating costs will be defined. It will take between four and five months to complete this work.
The third component of the programme involves dealing with the land use package.
Information from all three phases will be amalgamated and submitted for review to the Amur Oblast authorities.
"The kickoff of our access road development programme represents a major shift from our historical exploration mode to that of an engineering and design mode. The access road has always been a key variable in ensuring that we can successfully mine the largest undeveloped nickel copper sulphide deposit located immediately adjacent the three largest international nickel consuming nations of China, Japan and Korea. This road will allow Amur to deliver concentrate into the rail system for delivery to market and the ability to supply and support the planned operation,” said CEO Robin Young.