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PERTH (miningweekly.com) – There is hope at the end of the tunnel for the Tala Hamza zinc project, in Algeria, after the joint venture (JV) partners agreed to a preferred mining method.
The Tala Hamza project is owned by Western Mediterranean Zinc, a JV vehicle between ASX-listed Terramin Australia and Algerian State-owned companies ENOF and ORGM.
As agreed to under the JV arrangement, Terramin, in 2010, completed a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the project, submitting the results to the project partners for review.
However, instead of the one-month review period expected, ENOF engaged an independent international consultant to conduct a year-long review of the DFS, which resulted in criticism of the DFS, including that the block caving mining method, which had been recommended by the DFS as being the safest and most economically viable, was unsuitable.
To date, the JV partners have been embroiled in a tug-of-war over the most suitable mining method for the Tala Hamza project.
Terramin on Tuesday reported that the JV partners had now formally resolved to progress a preferred mining method through a new DFS, which, based on preliminary modelling, had proven to be both economically and technically viable.
The DFS would likely be completed in August this year, and would be tabled with the JV partners for a review and formal approval.
ENOF has indicated that should the DFS confirm the economic and technical viability of the Tala Hamza project, development work could start on site as soon as early 2015.
The project is currently estimated to host a resource of 68.6-million tonnes, grading 4.6% zinc and 1.2% lead.