Overview

Mine Type	Underground
Stage	Restarting
Commodities	Copper
Mining Method	Cut & Fill
Backfill type	...
Snapshot	Matchless mine is part of the Central Operation, currently on care and maintenance. Consolidated Copper wants to restart Matchless mine. Consolidated Copper has hired a former underground mining expert from Glencore to develop a 10-year mine plan for the Central Operations, which include the Matchless and Otjihase mines. The company holds valid mining licenses, environmental clearances, and all necessary permits to restart operations at these sites. Matchless has been under care and maintenance for approximately 30 years. Currently, drilling operations are underway at Matchless West to assess the potential of additional oxide resources following flooding at the site. Consolidated Copper has confirmed the presence of copper and is conducting metallurgical tests to identify ore sorting methods that could eliminate up to 65% of waste. The company is also exploring the option of a smaller concentrator, should it prove advantageous.

Deposit type

• VMS
• Stratabound

Summary:

The Matchless Amphibolite Belt is a conspicuous narrow northeast-southwest trending sequence consisting of amphibolite, chlorite-amphibole schist, talc schist and metagabbro which extends over a distance of 350km in the Southern Tectonostratigraphic Zone of the Damara Orogen. The Matchless Belt represents a sequence of metamorphosed tholeiitic basalts, which are the product of submarine volcanism. Stratigraphically the Matchless Amphibolite Member occurs within the Kuiseb Formation (Khomas Subgroup) of the Damara Sequence, which is a metapelitic sequence of biotite schists, with subordinate calcsilicate rocks and carbonaceous schists.

The Matchless deposit comprises six echelon shoots namely the Eastern Prospect, East Shoot, West Shoot, River Shoot, Western Prospect and Western Extension, extending over a strike length of 2.5km from the east to the west in that order. The East Shoot, West Shoot and River Shoot form the old Matchless Mine. The mineralisation occurs in amphibolites and quartz-sericite schist lying between the Matchless Amphibolite and the Footwall Amphibolite, dipping at 30o , 350o towards the north and plunges to the northwest. The mineralised zones are distinct pyrite chalcopyrite occurring in a quartz mica schist. A slight angular discordance between the mineralised zone and the Matchless Amphibolite was mapped on outcrop. The mineralisation is strata-bound and is of a massive sulphide type containing mainly pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and minor sphalerite, gold and silver.

Mining Methods

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Processing

- subscription is required.

Production

Personnel

Job Title	Name	Profile	Ref. Date
.......................	.......................		Sep 4, 2024
.......................	.......................		Sep 4, 2024