Mining Intelligence and News
Laos

Sepon Mine

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Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit & Underground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
  • Sub-level stoping
  • Open stoping
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SnapshotThe Sepon Gold and Copper Mine is the largest non-ferrous metal mine in Laos.

LXML has two independent production lines for gold and copper as principal products.

LXML’s Far West Open Pit Gold Mine commenced production in September 2024, contributing a gold output of 1.2 tonnes in its first year of operation.

Resin in Leach plant trial was successfully opened at the Sepon Mine in July 26, 2024.

The active promotion of the research projects, such as flotation and regrinding, flotation tailings resin leaching, and the processing of Khanong Primary Copper Mine, has laid a solid foundation for further enhancement of the Sepon Gold and Copper Mine’s resource and processing recovery rate. By upgrading the rock crushing line, LXML improved equipment operational efficiency by 15%, and the annual processing capacity increased by 120,000 tonnes.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Government of Laos 10 % Indirect
Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining Co., Ltd. 90 % Indirect
Lane Xang Minerals Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
Lane Xang Minerals Limited (LXML), a holding subsidiary of Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining Co.Ltd, operates gold and copper mines in Sepon.

Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining owns 90% of LXML and the Laos Government owns 10%.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Porphyry
  • Carlin-type
  • Skarn
  • Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

The Sepon project area is situated near the eastern margin of the intra-continental Khorat Basin and on the western flank of the Anamite Range fold belt. It lies within the Troungson geological region covering a broad spectrum of rocks ranging in age from Upper Proterozoic to Jurassic. The regional geology is dominated by an Upper Palaeozoic sedimentary belt of arkosic and feldspathic sandstone, variably calcareous and carbonaceous siltstone, shale and limestone which is variably dolomitised and locally marble. There are lesser volcanic rocks, typically comprised of agglomerate, conglomerate, tuffaceous sandstone, and rare coherent volcanics. The belt is cut by plutonic to sub-volcanic bodies of granite, monzodiorite, granodiorite, quartz porphyry, rhyodacite porphyry (RDP) and andesite porphyry. The intrusive rocks are preferentially emplaced along either east or north-west trending well-developed structures.

Several styles of mineralisation have been recognised within the Sepon Mineral District: porphyry-like Cu-Mo-Au mineralisation, skarnoid Cu-Mo-Au mineralisation adjacent to porphyry intrusive, distal skarn related Cu-Au-Ag+/- Pb+/-Zn massive sulphide veins, Carlin type carbonate hosted gold mineralisation and carbonate hosted Mississippi Valley type Pb-Zn-Ag mineralisation. In addition weathering and supergene re-mobilisation has created supergene copper, exotic supergene copper, oxide gold and alluvial gold in karst fill deposits.

All primary deposits are hydrothermal and, at least spatially, related to the RDP intrusive. Supergene copper mineralisation results from the oxidation, dissolution and transport of primary sulphide hosted copper mineralisation to sites where chemical conditions result in copper precipitation (reduced groundwater, replacement of sulphide, reaction with alkali carbonate). Supergene copper mineralisation occurs above and down slope of primary mineralisation. Chalcocite mineralisation replaces massive pyrite immediately above the skarns. Copper carbonate mineralisation occurs where copper rich groundwater reacts with carbonate rocks. The best supergene copper zones occur above higher grade zones of primary mineralisation and have a vertical profile with the best grades immediately above the base of weathering.

Primary gold mineralisation occurs as Carlin style gold forming distally to the copper skarn systems. Mineralisation occurs in association with decalcification and partial silica replacement of calcareous mudstones (‘jasperoid’) along steep faults, and is typically best developed at the contact of the Nalou Formation (dolomite) and the overlying Discovery Formation (nodular calc-shale).

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Commodity Production

CommodityProductUnits20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Copper Cathode t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe72,000 71,258 62,941 78,492 89,253 
Gold Metal in doré koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics202420232022202120202019201720162015
Annual milling capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3,149,317 t2,547,564 t2,116,501 t
Waste OP  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe23,004 kt
Total tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe25 Mt
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe1,335,942 t2,967,991 t1,847,827 t

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2024202320222017
Cash costs Gold USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
C1 cash costs Copper USD 1.59 / lb  

Mine Financials

Units20242023202220182017
Sustaining costs M RMB  ....  Subscribe
Capital expenditures M RMB  ....  Subscribe
Revenue M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 391.9  USD
After-tax Income M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
EBIT M 17.7  USD 4.8  USD
EBITDA M 119.2  USD
Operating Cash Flow M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 9, 2025
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....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 9, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 9, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 9, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jul 9, 2025

Workforce

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2024
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2023
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2021
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2020
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2019
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2017
...... Subscription required 2016

Aerial view:

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