JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – London-listed China Africa Resources expected to complete the feasibility study of its Berg Aukas project, in northern Namibia, by the end of the year.
China Africa Resources, which was a 65:35 joint venture between East China Mineral Exploration and Development Bureau and Aim-listed Weatherly International, planned to start metallurgical work on the deposit early in 2013.
This followed the conclusion of a 15-hole 6 856 m diamond-drilling programme, in December, which revealed a high-grade lead/zinc deposit.
Africa China Resources noted that the engineering and other remaining elements could be completed within three to four months after the completion of the metallurgical testwork and resulting process flow sheet.
“The timing of the completion of the feasibility study is dependent on the results of the metallurgical test work and, in particular, the ability to produce a saleable vanadium product,” the company said in a statement.
The group expected to issue a maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant resource statement during the first quarter of 2013 and provide an orebody model that would be the basis of a final mining study.
The Berg Aukas deposit – formerly a 130 000 t/y lead, zinc and vanadium underground mine – was mined from 1959 until closure in 1978, when low zinc prices buckled the operation.
Historical records at the time of the mine’s closure indicated a mine reserve of 1.65-billion tons, grading 17% zinc, 5% lead and 0.6% vanadium pentoxide.
The group aimed to develop the mine in two stages, namely an openpit low-grade oxidised ore extraction stage and the rehabilitation of key working areas at a depth of 350 m to 500 m below surface where the bulk of the remaining reserves were expected to reside based on the historical data.