Photo by: Bloomberg
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Copper miner Discovery Metals Limited (DML) has been granted government approval for the development of the Zeta underground mine, at the Boseto copper project, in Botswana.
The company said on Thursday that the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources had amended the mining licence at Boseto to include the Zeta underground mine.
“These are exciting times at DML, with the recapitalisation proposal with Montsant Partners and now this approval for amendment to the mining licence. This approval will allow the development of our underground mining programme to progress and is consistent with the new overall strategic direction of the company to develop our underground mineral resource,” said DML CEO Bob Fulker.
The establishment of the Zeta underground mine would significantly lengthen the life of the Boseto operation while also providing a longer and consistent access to the high quality mineralisation.
At steady levels, the Zeta underground mine would produce about 1.5-million tonnes a year, at 1.3% copper.
DML’s ultimate objective was to be able to supply sufficient ore from three planned underground mines to keep the 3.2-million-tonne-a-year Boseto concentrator at maximum throughput and efficiency.