PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Brazil-focused Centaurus Metals is undertaking a new one-million-tonne-a-year prefeasibility study (PFS) at its Jambreiro iron-ore project.
The decision to pursue a one-million-tonne-a-year operation followed on from a strategic review of the 2013 PFS work, and the ongoing assessment of the changes and improvements in both the Brazilian and global iron-ore markets.
The initial PFS was based on a one-million-tonne-a-year operation, subsequently expanding to between two-million to three-million tonnes a year, requiring an initial capital spend of A$53-million.
Centaurus this week said that the new PFS would build on the previous study, but would update the capital and operating costs. Work has also started to upgrade the previous Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant ore reserves, underpinned by new pit optimisation and detailed mine plan.
Furthermore, while Centaurus is licensed to build a tails dam, the company has taken the decision to dry-stack all tailings produced at the operation, which would significantly reduce the overall footprint of the project and would allow for an easier expansion of the project in the future.
The new PFS is expected by the end of June.