Aim-listed Bezant Resources has completed the successful first blast at the Hope openpit site at its 90%-owned Hope and Gorob copper/gold project, in Namibia.

The company reports that a 20 000 t blast to liberate about 2 000 t of commercially viable mineralisation has been completed.

Bezant says preliminary evaluation indicates that surface mineralisation post-blast is consistent with the geological block model in terms of location and tenor of mineralisation.

The Bezant grade control team will compare assays from blasthole sampling with the current surface expression of mineralisation. The company says this represents the first opportunity for the company's grade control team to apply their training with the selection of run-of-mine (RoM) ore for stockpiling.

Mining and transport of RoM ore to the Tsaoxaub Metals flotation plant will start shortly to generate a stockpile suitable for future plant commissioning.

Bezant notes that onboarding of the plant site manager has been completed and the recruitment of plant operators is ongoing.

Additionally, the company says the Hope and Gorob mine geology department is liaising with external resource consultants Sound Mining to validate the existing block model.

Blastholes have been drilled ahead of the second blast and the mining contractor, Unitrans, has started ground clearance and separation of ore and waste for haulage to the plant site and waste storage respectively.

“We are pleased to announce this important milestone in the development of the Hope and Gorob copper and gold mine development,” says Bezant executive chairperson Colin Bird.

“The blast was successful with excellent fragmentation and extremely well positioned relative to ore. The result is testament to our external geological advisor Sound Engineering and also our newly recruited geological staff. 

“The project continues to move forward in all aspects and we are particularly pleased with progress at the Namib Lead and Zinc Mining plant where current activity is intense. We will keep the market updated as we proceed towards the key milestones of ore input and saleable concentrate,” he adds.