Name and location
Kinsenda restart project, Katanga province, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Project description
Copper Resources Corporation (CRC) has started construction of its processing plant at the Kinsenda underground mine. The plant will treat 1,2-million tons of 5,1%-grade Kinsenda ore to produce, at full capacity, 54 000 t/y of contained copper in the form of a rich, 45% concentrate.

Value
$93-million. The project was previously estimated at $58-million.

Duration
Mining operations are scheduled to begin in mid-2008.

Breakdown of main contracts
None stated.

Client
Minière de Musoshi et Kinsenda SARL (MMK), CRC's 75%-owned subsidiary.

Latest developments
An independent bankable feasibility study (BFS) is being prepared by Mineral Engineering Technical Services on the Kinsenda restart project being undertaken by MMK. The BFS estimates that the total financing required, including capital cost, working capital and financial charges during construction, will be about $93-million, and that operations will start in mid-2008. Previously, it was estimated that the total financing required would be $58-million, and that the start of operations would occur in October 2007.

Further, the company has reported that significant progress has been made on the dewatering of the mine, which is currently at 260 m and is expected to reach 285 m by the middle of July, which will allow the securing, cleaning and preparing of the stopes for exploitation at that level, as well as the installation of the necessary pump-station to reach the 330-m level, which will then allow the development of the mine to begin. The MMK project team is starting the procurement of long-lead equipment and is completing the formulation of the mining plan, design and schedule.

Participants
None stated.

Construction materials
Not stated.

On budget and on time?
The project is proceeding on schedule.

Contact details for project information
CRC, executive vice-chairperson,
Mitchell Alland, tel +44 787 569 5563.