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.

Copperbelt, oxidation and leaching of copper minerals is common to about 45 m to 60 m from surface, although it may be observed to depths of several hundred metres. The leached zone close to surface is commonly barren or very poorly mineralised. Supergene enrichment below the zone of leaching is highly variable with the main supergene minerals including malachite, chalcocite, cuprite, chysocolla and vermiculite.

Chibuluma Mines Plc operates the Chibuluma South and Chifupu ore bodies.

Chibuluma South Mine is trackless and highly mechanised. The mining method employed is Long Hole Stoping with fill. Access to underground is through a portal.

Upon closure of the Open Pit Mine in 2001, portal mining commenced in 2003 in order to exploit underground sulphide ore. In order to separate Underground from Open Pit, which was closed in 2001, a Crown Pillar was left for both safety as well as avoid waste migration from Open Pit into underground operations. Production commenced on 71mL as the main level by Room and Pillar and continued to 600mL, which was the lowest level.

Chibuluma Mines Plc underground ore will be depleted by Q1-F2019. This will be followed by Underground and surface infrastructural reclamation.

Crown Pillar mining has been contracted to Hongtoushan and mining activities commenced on the south in July 2018 with overburden removal. Ore production commenced in Aug 2018. Mining is currently 35metres below surface (1215amsl). Crown Pillar Mining will commence on the North once underground operations cease and surface fans supporting underground ventilation system are decommissioned.

The reserve in the Pillar is expected to be depleted by F2020.

Chifupu Mine is trackless and highly mechanised. The mining method employed is Long Hole Stoping with fill. Access to underground is through a portal.

Chifupu Mine ore reserves will be depleted by F2024 at a consistent decline monthly development rate of 90m. [December 2018, Chibuluma South web site].

Ore from the Chibuluma South Mine is treated at the on-site Chibuluma concentrator. Ore is first crushed and milled into a fine powder before being fed into the floatation plant for concentration. At the concentration stage, the ore is mixed with chemicals and introduced to a water bath. Copper sulphides form as a froth at the surface and are skimmed off. The froth is dried and forms a copper concentrate with a grade of 46.0% copper. Trucks then haul the concentrate to CCS, where it is purchased.

The ore from the South section is stockpiled on a ramp with a capacity of 20 kt. The ore with a size grading of - 700 mm is fed by front-end loader directly into a jaw crusher. The product from the jaw crusher is –100 mm and is further crushed by the Hazemac impact crusher to a size of 60% -13.5 mm. This product is then deposited on a 6 kt tonne capacity stockpile. This crusher increased the concentrator capacity from 42 ktpm to 48 ktpm. The crusher can be operated in or out of circ ........