The Namibian mining industry is set for substantial growth in the future, with a number of projects at various stages of development in progress.
Earlier this year Mining Weekly reported that international gold miner B2Gold’s Otjikoto gold project had begun construction.
A feasibility study on the project, located about 300 km north of Namibia’s capital city Windhoek, demonstrated the robust economics of the project.
The mine plan is based on probable mine- ral reserves of 29.4-million tons, grading 1.42 g/t for 1.341-million ounces of gold at a stripping ratio of 5.59:1 to be mined over an initial 12-year period.
Average yearly production for the first five years is estimated at 141 000 oz/y of gold.
The gold project will be developed as an openpit mine, with run-of-mine ore trucked to the plant, crushed and then treated in a grinding circuit using conventional semi- autogenous grinding and ball mills, and a carbon-in-leach recovery process.
Construction is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2014, when mill production will begin, with all necessary government permits and licences received.
An aggressive exploration drilling programme continues on the success of the high-grade Wolfshag zone, which was discovered in late 2012 and is adjacent to the planned Otjikoto pit.
These positive results indicate signifi- cant exploration upside and the potential to outline additional resources, which could lead to the expansion of throughput capacity and an increase in average yearly gold production.
It was not stated whether the project was on time and within budget.
Meanwhile, Mining Weekly also reported that mining and smelting company Weatherly International is undertaking the reopening of the Old Matchless copper mine.
The Old Matchless mine is located about 2 km east of Weatherly’s current Matchless mining operations. The mine operated until 1983, when it was closed by international gold mining giant Newmont, owing to strategic and economic conditions at the time.
The non-Joint Ore Reserves Committee- (Jorc-) compliant historical reserve for the Old Matchless mine is 812 639 t at 2.4% copper, containing 19 506 t of contained copper.
The development of the mine will supply additional high-grade ore feed to the Otjihase concentrator and will increase production by more than 3 000 t/y of copper.
The proposed mine plan envisages the extraction of 748 484 t of ore at 2.38% copper, recovering 16 387 t of copper metal contained in concentrates.
The current mining plan involves the development of a decline from surface to access the three previously mined ore shoots, which are open at depth. Ore extraction is planned using mechanised and hand-held cut-and-fill methods. The old level accesses and the hoisting shaft will be used for ventilation exhaust, dewatering and secondary egress.
The initial capital cost of the development is estimated at R68.4-million.
Production will start within 13 months of the start of the decline, with full production achieved within 24 months. Prepara- tory work is expected to start soon. It was not stated whether the project was within budget and on time.
A subject of much controversy is the Sandpiper phosphate project being imple- mented by phosphate miner Namibian Marine Phosphate – a joint venture between phosphate company Minemakers (42.5%), Union Resources (42.5%) and Namibian investment company Tungeni Investments (15%).
Late last year Mining Weekly reported that the project tenements lie in waters about 60 km off the coast of Namibia and cover a combined area of about 7 000 km2 in the regional phosphate-enriched province to the south of Walvis Bay, in water depths of between 180 m and 300 m.
The project has total Jorc-compliant measured and indicated resources of 226.8-million tons at 20.2% phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5).
A feasibility study has confirmed Sandpiper as technically and economically feasible and envisages steady-state production of three-million tons a year of P2O5 concentrate product (rock phosphate), grading 27.5% to 28% P2O5 over an initial mine life of 20 years, including a two-year ramp-up period.
It is intended that dredging of the seafloor sediments will be achieved with a large-capacity trailing suction hopper dredge, using existing technology.
Capital costs to first production for the three-million-ton operation are estimated at $326.3-million. This estimate excludes the potential capital cost of a small reverse-osmosis desalination plant, which may need to be constructed early in the mine life, the estimate of which is currently being refined.
Following a final investment decision and securing financing for the project, the estimated construction and commissioning period is 24 months.
A number of key activities remain ongoing, including the construction of the extended dredge arm by Belgian construction company Jan De Nul to allow dredging at water depths of 225 m; capi- tal cost optimisation; final front-end engineering design; negotiation of contracts for dredging, engineering, procurement and construction management and key staff positions; continued product marketing to secure offtake agreements; and the financing of the project.
Further, ASX- and TSX-listed Bannerman Resources, which owns 80% of the Etango uranium project (formerly Goanikontes), in Erongo, aims to proceed with the help of a development partner.
The Etango project has measured, and indicated, resources of 336.2-million tons at 201 parts per million (ppm) for 148.8- million pounds of uranium oxide (U3O8) and an inferred resource of 164.6-million tons at 176 ppm for 63.9-million pounds of U3O8.
A definitive feasibility study (DFS) has upped expected output at Etango by some 22%, after increasing the plant size from 15-million tons to 20-million tons a year.
Production is expected to be between seven- and nine-million pounds of U3O8 a year for the first five years and between six- and eight-million pounds of U3O8 a year thereafter, for a minimum mine life of 16 years, which would place Etango among the world’s top ten uranium-only mining operations.
Envisioned is a conventional openpit mining operation, which will use 550 t hydraulic back-hoe excavators and 220 t diesel/electric haul trucks. Drilling and blasting will be conducted on 12 m benches and mining on 4 m to 4.5 m flitches to reduce ore dilution. With this configuration, the mining rate is scheduled at a maximum 100-million tons a year.
The DFS has also identified Etango mineralisation to be most suitable for heap leaching.
Further, significant upside exists at Etango through the potential conversion of existing inferred resources, as well as through new drilling programmes now under way for a targeted mine life of over 20 years.
Preproduction capital is estimated at $870-million.
Bannerman has started a resource expansion drilling programme to add new mineral resources and extend the mine life beyond 20 years. The company will also lodge the DFS and its environmental- and social-impact assessments, as well as the environmental and social management plan with the relevant Namibian authorities in support of the existing licence application.