Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2028 |
The Bisha Copper-Zinc Mine is the key in production large-scale zinc mine in Eritrea.
Infrastructure construction for the Asheli Underground Mining Project is well underway. |
Source:
p. 5,379
The Zijin Mining Group ultimately owns 55% equity interest in Bisha through Nevsun Eritrea, while Eritrean National Mining Corporation owns 45% equity interest in BMSC.
Contractors
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Summary:
The Bisha and Harena are large precious- and base metal-rich VMS deposits; Northwest, Hambok and Asheli are small to medium size VMS deposits.
The Property is underlain by Neoproterozoic upper green schist to lower amphibolite facies volcanics and sedimentary units of the Augaro Adobha Belt.
The Bisha Main deposit is a series of four massive sulphide lenses that occur over a 1.2 km north-south trending strike extent. The thickness of the lenses is variable up to 70 m. Mineralisation extends to a depth of 600 m below surface.
The massive sulphide bodies comprise a southern zone and a northern zone. The main part of the southern zone strikes approximately 345° and dips steeply to the west, with strike and dip lengths of some 600 m and 500 m respectively. The main part of the northern zone strikes approximately 0° and dips steeply to the west, with strike and dip lengths of some 500 m and 100 m respectively. The southern zone plunges 45° to the south. In the hanging walls of both the southern and northern zones, there are two smaller massive sulphide pods interpreted to be folded limbs of the two main zones.
The Gossan varies in composition from highly siliceous and ferruginous to massive goethite– hematite–jarosite. The Oxide Zone is up to 50 m deep and is composed of hematite, quartz and clays; in places, original rock textures are preserved. The Oxide zone is enriched in Au, Pb, Ba and Mo and depleted in Cu, Zn, Cd and Co.
Summary:
The Bisha Main and Harena deposits are mined as a conventional open pit operation. At Bisha Main, most of the in-pit haulage for waste will be carried out using 65-tonne haulage trucks and 10 m3 excavators, in 5 m benches. To control mining dilution and to increase selectivity smaller excavators will be utilised for ore mining. Harena pit will be mined using the same mining fleet and also in 5 m benches.
Waste rock will be moved and hauled to multiple rock storage facilities based on their geochemical characteristics and period of operation. Some of the mineralised waste will be stockpiled near the pit so that it can be recovered if commodity prices increase from current levels.
Mine design criteria:
- Bench height (final wall) - 10 m. Ore and waste will be mined in 5.0 m working benches.
- Bench face angle - 63°, 67°, 70°. Mainly 70°.
- Catch bench width - 6 m to 8.3 m. Varies based on the geotechnical zone, on final walls.
- Geotechnical berm - 16 m. At 140 m vertical intervals.
- Inter-Ramp angle - 39° to 46°. Varies by zone.
- Haulage road width - 32.5 m. Two way roads, includes berm and ditch.
- Maximum road slope 10%.
- Rock dump face angle - 34°. 25 m lifts and overall slope of 26°.
The Bisha Main ultimate pit is oriented in south-north direction. It broadly consists of two adjoining sections, a smaller pit in the north and the main pit to the south. The pit is ~1,400 m long (south to north) and ........

Source:
Flow Sheet:
Summary:

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Reserves at December 31, 2022:
NSR is the value of ore per tonne after deduction of refining costs, mining areas with different resources based on USD31/tonne, USD31/tonne, USD32/ tonne, USD33/tonne, USD100/tonne; Mining areas with different reserves based on USD42.24/tonne, USD42.56/ tonne, USD42.92/tonne, USD43.22/ tonne USD44.32/tonne, USD44.63/tonne
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
t
|
Copper
|
|
19,000 t
|
Proven
|
t
|
Zinc
|
|
98,000 t
|
Probable
|
t
|
Copper
|
|
84,000 t
|
Probable
|
t
|
Zinc
|
|
421,000 t
|
Proven & Probable
|
t
|
Copper
|
0.77 %
|
103,000 t
|
Proven & Probable
|
t
|
Zinc
|
3.89 %
|
519,000 t
|
Measured & Indicated
|
t
|
Copper
|
|
397,100 t
|
Measured & Indicated
|
t
|
Zinc
|
|
1,087,500 t
|
Inferred
|
t
|
Copper
|
|
405,040 t
|
Inferred
|
t
|
Zinc
|
|
2,000,100 t
|
Total Resource
|
t
|
Copper
|
0.97 %
|
802,140 t
|
Total Resource
|
t
|
Zinc
|
3.75 %
|
3,087,600 t
|
Source:

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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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