Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Longhole stoping
- Backfill
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2024 |
Chibuluma mine compises Chibuluma South Mine and the Chifupu Deposit.
On 28 December 2020, Chibuluma entered into a lease agreement with an independent third party to lease out the mining assets including the Chifupu Deposit for a fixed rental fee plus a flexible royalty fee payable calculated base on amount of copper extracted and sold.
Chibuluma South Mine was put into care and maintenance in 2020. Mining activities restarted in 2021 under the operation of finance lessee. |
Source:
p. 257, 264,
Jinchuan Group International Resources (“Jinchuan International”) is a majority-owned subsidiary of Jinchuan Group and flagship platform for overseas resources development.
Via its subsidiary – Metorex, Jinchuan International owns 85% interest of Chibuluma Mines Plc. which owns the Chibuluma South Mine (including Chifupu deposit). The remaining 15% interest in Chibuluma Mines Plc is held by ZCCM Investments Holding Plc.
Contractors
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Summary:
The Chibuluma deposits are SSC deposits located in the Zambian portion of the Central African Copperbelt. The Copperbelt forms one of the world’s largest metallogenic provinces containing over a third of the world’s cobalt mineral reserves and a tenth of the world’s copper mineral reserves.
The copper-cobalt deposits of the Central African Copperbelt are hosted within a strongly deformed, arcuate belt of rocks that extends from north eastern Angola through southern DRC and into Zambia, referred to as the Lufilian Arc.
Mineralisation in both Zambia and the DRC is largely restricted to the Lower Roan or Mines Group, although vein style mineralisation is locally important higher in the succession (e.g. Kansanshi, Kipushi, Dikulushi). Mineralisation in the Zambian deposits is dominantly sulphide, comprising chalcopyrite, bornite and chalcocite, variably accompanied by pyrite and pyrrhotite, carollite, covellite and diginite. Ore grades are commonly around 3% to 4% Cu and 0.1% to 0.2% Co.
Mineralisation in the Chibuluma South orebody is predominantly Cu with very minor Co and is hosted in detrital conglomerates, sandstones and argillaceous siltstones of the Lower Roan Group. The orebody is hosted by a competent quartzite horizon overlain by a sequence of argillites and dolomites of the Upper Roan Group. Mineralisation is hosted in a mineralised quartzite known locally as the Orebody Quartzite (“OBQ”) with the unmineralised quartzite below the OB ........

Mining Methods
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Longhole stoping
- Backfill
Summary:
Chibuluma Mines Plc operates the Chibuluma South and Chifupu ore bodies.
As Chibuluma South Mine underground operation reached the end of life, underground mine underground operation operations ceased in August 2019 and the Group commenced crown pillar open cast mining.
Chifupu Mine ore reserves will be depleted by F2024 at a consistent decline monthly development rate of 90m. The mining method employed is Long Hole Stoping with fill. Access to underground is through a portal.
Source:

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Flow Sheet:
Summary:

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Production:
Commodity | Units | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Copper
|
t
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 10,024 | 10,966 | 10,458 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.
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Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Probable
|
0.3 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.9 %
|
5 kt
|
Indicated
|
0.8 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.3 %
|
18 kt
|
Inferred
|
2.2 Mt
|
Copper
|
2 %
|
44 kt
|
Total Resource
|
3 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.1 %
|
62 kt
|
Financials:
| Units | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Capital expenditures
|
M USD
| ......  | |
|
|
9.6
|
Revenue
|
M USD
| ......  | ......  |
63.8
|
70.3
|
52.9
|
The mine uses return water and water from underground dewatering in the plant, with make-up water pumped from surface and underground water sources when required. It must be noted that more than 90% of the water used in the Chibuluma plant is recycled from the tailings dam.
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