Photo by: Bloomberg
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Perth-based metals developer Mining Group has started mining activities at the Panga mine, which forms part of the El Roble copper project, in Chile.
Mining Group has previously considered and discarded the possibility of an opencast operation at Panga, instead settling on the development of an underground operation to expose the interpreted depth extension of the previously mined high-grade copper zones.
Initial work at the project consisted of the installation of along-strike development drives within the mineralised vein on two levels, with the existing mine also requiring some minor rehabilitation and waste development in order to safely access below the historic mined-out zones.
First material was expected to be hauled to the toll treatment plants this month.
Mining Group MD Zeff Reeves said on Thursday that the company was pleased with the progress being made at Panga.
“Now we have the vein exposed in two headings, working towards our target zone below the historic stopes in the coming weeks. Along the way, we are still stockpiling mineralised material, which will help pay for the development when sold later this month.”
He noted that the start of work at Panga was another milestone for the company in the development of El Roble.
“The company continues to move forward with achieving its goals and executing the strategy of small-scale mining to fund longer term growth,” he said.
Under the existing permit at Panga, Mining Group was allowed to exploit up to 1 000 t/m of copper-bearing material. The company has now applied to increase this extraction to 5 000 t/m, and an outcome on this application was expected in April.