ASX-listed Azure Minerals is nearing completion of a scoping study for its Oposura zinc/lead/silver project, in Mexico.
The study remains on schedule for completion in the third quarter of this year.
Components of the study that have already been completed include baseline environmental, hydrology and concentrate marketing studies; a mineral resource estimate; a mining study, including pit optimisations, underground mine designs and operating and capital cost estimates; metallurgical testwork; preliminary process flowsheet, design criteria and plant layout; and an infrastructure option study, including power and water supply, communications, road access and accommodation.
Azure reported on Monday that the mining study has shown that about 95% of the zinc and lead mineralisation to be mined in the first year of operations is classified in the Joint Ore Reserves Committee indicated mineral resource category.
The study further identified low unit cost openpit and room-and-pillar underground extraction methods as suitable for the Oposura deposit. Underground stoping is likely to be carried out using mechanised drilling, loading and haulage equipment.
Mine scheduling has, meanwhile, shown that minimal mining capital will be needed ahead of the development of the four openpits, as well as the underground stopes at Oposura.