Name and Location
Hinda phosphate project, Koulilou, Republic of Congo.

Client
Cominco Resources.

Project Description
The Hinda deposit is one of the world’s largest and thickest undeveloped phos-phate Joint Ore Reserves Committee- (Jorc-) compliant ore reserves. It has a low overburden to ore ratio. The project is envisaged as an openpit mine, using free-digging, with no requirement for ripping or blasting.

A definitive feasibility study (DFS) has demonstrated that the project is technically and commercially robust.

The project involves the development of an opencut mining operation, including in-pit ore crushing at an average 20-million tonnes a year. The ore will be delivered to a beneficiation plant that will upgrade the apatite to produce 4.1-million tonnes of saleable phosphate rock concentrate (phosrock) grading 32% phosphorous pentoxide.

A slurry pipeline will transport this product 42 km to the export facility at Pointe Indienne, north of Pointe-Noire. Product dewatering, drying, storage and ship-loading facilities will be built at Pointe Indienne.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The DFS estimates a net present value, at a 10% discount rate, of $1.85-billion and an ungeared internal rate of return of 38%, with a payback of 26 months.

Value
The project is estimated at $601-million.

Duration
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Not stated.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
SRK Consulting (Jorc-compliant ore reserve statement, mine design and schedules, capital and operating cost estimates, as well as reports on hydrology, hydrogeology and geotechnical investigations); Ausenco Engineering (overall management and coordination of the DFS); Mintek, (metallurgical bench and piloting testwork); Prayon, (acidulation testwork); and WSP (environmental baseline studies and the development of an independent environmental- and social-impact assessment for the exploitation phase of the project).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Cominco Resources media contact, Mona Power, tel +44 20 3 598 1149 or email mpower@comincoresources.com.
SRK, tel +243 81 999 9775 or email smaleba@srk.co.za.
Ausenco Engineering, tel +27 11 258 8591.
Mintek, tel +27 11 709 4111 or +27 11 793 2413.
Prayon, tel +32 4 273 92 11, fax +32 4 273 96 35 or email contact@prayon.be.
WSP, tel +27 11 361 1300 or fax +27 11 361 1301.