Name of the Project
Ta Khoa project.

Location
Northern Vietnam.

Project Owner/s
Blackstone Minerals (90%).

Project Description
A prefeasibility study (PFS), completed on the project in February 2022, has focused on the integration of the Tha Khoa nickel project (TKNP) with the Ta Khoa refinery (TKR). The TKNP and TKR are collectively referred to as the Ta Khoa project.

The TKNP has a total mining inventory of 64.51-million tonnes grading 0.41% nickel for 264 000 t nickel.

The PFS has determined that a larger beneficiation plant will enable Blackstone to capture a high proportion of its flagship Ban Phuc disseminated sulphide deposit. The deposit has an ore reserve of 48.75-million tonnes grading 0.43% nickel for 210 000 t of nickel.

The TKR will have a refining capacity of 400 000 t/y at steady state.

The beneficiation plant will be supplemented with feed from the Ban Chang and King Snake underground massive sulphide vein deposits.

Life-of-mine concentrate production is estimated at 1.9-million tonnes grading at 8% nickel for 151 000 t of nickel.

Conventional openpit mining techniques will be used at Ban Phuc project. The mining process will include drill-and-blast, as well as conventional load-and-haul operations.

Openpit mining will be conducted using staged cutbacks, with four identified stages incorporated within the life-of-mine final pit. Underground mining will be conducted using sublevel longhole open stoping methods.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an after-tax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $1.99-billion and an internal rate of return of 47%, with a payback of 1.8 years from first production.

Capital Expenditure
Preproduction capital is estimated at $854-million.

Planned Start/End Date
First concentrate production from the TKNP is expected in 2025, ramping up to its nameplate design capacity of eight-million tonnes a year in 2027.

Latest Developments
Blackstone is aiming to confirm a final investment decision on the Ta Khoa project in early 2023.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Blackstone Minerals, tel +61 8 9425 5217 or email admin@blackstoneminerals.com.au.