Overview
Stage | Construction |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Cut & Fill
- Post Pillar Cut & Fill
- Longhole open stoping
|
Processing |
- Calcining
- Filter press plant
- Flotation
- Concentrate leach
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Roasting
|
Mine Life | 19 years (as of Jan 1, 2018) |
The construction of the Group’s core Musonoi copper-cobalt project was also in full steam in 2020 where the construction of main shaft, ventilation shaft, office facility, living camp, warehouse and core shed have all been underway/commenced in 2020. |
Source:
p. 22, 240, 253, 254
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 75% interest in Ruashi Mining SAS which owns the Musonoi Project. The remaining 25% interest in Ruashi Mining SAS is held by Gécamines S.A.(La Générale des Carrières et des Mines)
Deposit Type
- Sediment-hosted
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
Summary:
A strike length of 600 m to 700 m has been identified with the deepest drill intersection obtained being 550 m below surface. Mineralisation remains open ended at depth. The mineralisation is typical of that of the Kamoto and KOV Mines with two HG zones.
The mineralised zones consist of talc shales, breccias and siltstones forming part of the meta sedimentary sequence. Copper and cobalt mineralisation is generally in the form of malachite and heterogenite/kolwezite in the oxide portion of the deposit and chalcocite, bornite and carrollite in the deeper sulphide zone. The depth of oxidation is approximately 190 m to 220 m below surface.
The ore body is open ended to depth and no flattening of the dip indicating proximity of the fold closure has been intersected thus far. The solids modelling was extrapolated 50 m east and west of the last drill hole intersection (along strike), and 50 m beyond the last drill hole intersection to depth (down dip).
Mining Methods
- Cut & Fill
- Post Pillar Cut & Fill
- Longhole open stoping
Summary:
The studies indicated that the orebody occurs on the eastern end of the Dilala Syncline and is a blind deposit with high-grade mineralization starting at between 50m and 100m below surface. The orebody has a strike length of 600m to 700m and is open ended at depth below 600m from surface, and will be mined from underground using a long hole stoping mining method and a cut and fill with post pillars mining method.
The Musonoi East deposit comprises two mineralised zones roughly 14 m thick separated by a siliceous dolomite zone which is approximately 20 thick. The sequence dips 70° south and the strike length is approximately 600 m. The stratigraphic sequence has been overturned and the mineralised zone sub-outcrops on a fault some 50 m below surface, which are overlain by RAT strata. The Musonoi Study assumed a depth extent for the orebody of 500 m below surface.
Two open stoping methods with fill were selected, viz. top down underhand long hole open stoping (“LHOS”) and bottom up sublevel open stoping (“SLOS”). Both methods have similar operating costs, maximise ore extraction, employ a vertical level interval of 25 m and permit maximum flexibility in terms of stope selection and grade control.
Long Hole open stoping (LHOS)
Drilling, blasting and cleaning longitudinal stopes in the normal sublevel open stoping mode would be followed, but without leaving pillars and working from top downwards. When the stope has been mined to its defined strike length, it is filled with a high density cemented paste that is allowed to cure before adjacent stopes are mined. The optimum strike length at Musonoi Est is 40 m. A temporary holding pillar of 4 to 5 m on strike is left between the stopes and blasted with the slot of the next stope.
Stopes are developed by driving horizontally on the orebody footwall contact at 25 m vertical intervals and by access drives in the hangingwall of each orebody at the same elevation. A sill pillar will be left between the sulphides and oxides to permit future mining of the oxide deposits. Based on available geotechnical information, the first level was set at 300 m below surface with the top holing on the 275 m level.
Each stope will contain about 36 kt of ore. The development, drilling, blocking, cleaning and filling cycle per stope will take about 5.2 months. Eleven active stopes will be required at any time, services by 4 LHDs with 10 t buckets.
Flow Sheet:
Crusher / Mill Type | Model | Size | Power | Quantity |
Ball mill
|
|
|
|
1
|
Summary:
Based on the June 2013 Mintek report, the envisaged flowsheet will probably entail single stage crushing followed by a RoM ball mill and flotation circuit.
Processing
- Calcining
- Filter press plant
- Flotation
- Concentrate leach
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Roasting
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
Based on the June 2013 Mintek report, the envisaged flowsheet will probably entail single stage crushing followed by a RoM ball mill and flotation circuit. The optimum grind was found to be 80% -106 µm. A final decision on the flowsheet still needs to be made.
The Musonoi Study concluded that due to high off- mine costs associated with the transport and treatment of Cu and Co concentrates, a preferable option would be to produce a bulk Cu/Co concentrate through a flotation plant. This concentrate could then in the future be combined with the Kinsenda sulphide concentrates in a central roasting plant to produce a calcined product that would be leachable in a conventional SX-EW plant.
Projected Production:
Commodity | Product | Units | Avg. Annual |
Copper
|
Cathode
|
t
| 34,000 |
Cobalt
|
Hydroxide
|
t
| ......  |
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | |
Annual ore mining rate
| 1,000 kt * |
* According to 2013 study.
Reserves at December 31, 2020:
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
8.6 Mt
|
Copper
|
3.1 %
|
270 kt
|
Proven
|
Oxide
|
2.8 Mt
|
Copper
|
3.2 %
|
90 kt
|
Proven
|
Total
|
11.4 Mt
|
Copper
|
3.1 %
|
360 kt
|
Proven
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
8.6 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.9 %
|
73 kt
|
Proven
|
Oxide
|
2.8 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
1.1 %
|
30 kt
|
Proven
|
Total
|
11.4 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.9 %
|
103 kt
|
Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
8.3 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.7 %
|
222 kt
|
Probable
|
Oxide
|
0.6 Mt
|
Copper
|
2 %
|
12 kt
|
Probable
|
Total
|
8.9 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.6 %
|
234 kt
|
Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
8.3 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
67 kt
|
Probable
|
Oxide
|
0.6 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.7 %
|
4 kt
|
Probable
|
Total
|
8.9 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
71 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
16.9 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.9 %
|
492 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
Oxide
|
3.4 Mt
|
Copper
|
3 %
|
102 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
Total
|
20.3 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.9 %
|
594 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
16.9 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
140 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
Oxide
|
20.3 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
1 %
|
34 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
Total
|
20.3 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.9 %
|
174 kt
|
Measured
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
12.8 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.7 %
|
339 kt
|
Measured
|
Oxide
|
4.7 Mt
|
Copper
|
3.1 %
|
144 kt
|
Measured
|
Total
|
17.5 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.8 %
|
483 kt
|
Measured
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
12.8 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
100 kt
|
Measured
|
Oxide
|
4.7 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
1 %
|
48 kt
|
Measured
|
Total
|
17.5 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
148
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
13.1 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.2 %
|
292 kt
|
Indicated
|
Oxide
|
1.2 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.9 %
|
22 kt
|
Indicated
|
Total
|
14.3 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.2 %
|
314 kt
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
13.1 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
107 kt
|
Indicated
|
Oxide
|
1.2 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
9 kt
|
Indicated
|
Total
|
14.3 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
116 kt
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
11.6 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.2 %
|
258 kt
|
Inferred
|
Oxide
|
1.4 Mt
|
Copper
|
2 %
|
29 kt
|
Inferred
|
Total
|
13 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.2 %
|
287 kt
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
11.6 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
88 kt
|
Inferred
|
Oxide
|
1.4 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.7 %
|
10 kt
|
Inferred
|
Total
|
13 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.75 %
|
98 kt
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
37.4 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.4 %
|
890 kt
|
Total Resource
|
Oxide
|
7.3 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.7 %
|
195 kt
|
Total Resource
|
Total
|
44.7 Mt
|
Copper
|
2.4 %
|
1,085 kt
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
37.4 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
295 kt
|
Total Resource
|
Oxide
|
7.3 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.9 %
|
68 kt
|
Total Resource
|
Total
|
44.7 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.8 %
|
363 kt
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
Document | Year |
...................................
|
2021
|
...................................
|
2020
|
...................................
|
2019
|
Annual Report
|
2018
|
Other
|
2013
|
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