The active operations at KCC can be classified into surface and underground mining operations. Surface operations include KOV OP, KITD Tailings and Mashamba East OP; the T17 OP has been depleted. The underground operations include KTO UG and T17 UG, which have been developed to various stages.
The three mining methods practised at KTO are:
- Room and Pillar with Hydraulic Backfill (RAP) at dips of less than 12º;
- Transversal Longhole Retreat with Backfill (TLHR) between 13º and 55º; and
- Longitudinal Longhole Retreat with Backfill (LLHR) at dips of greater than 55º.
KOV OP is an existing, large-scale operation. Mining related modifying factors applied to the KOV OP mine plan include a cut-off grade of 0.65% TCu and mining dilution of 20% and 5% overall losses. Ore production is primarily oxide and mixed material with only 8% sulphide ore.
Mashamba East OP is an existing, large-scale operation. Mining related modifying factors applied to the Mashamba East OP plan include a cut-off grade of 0.65% TCu, mining dilution of 7.9% and 5% overall losses.
The KITD Tailings area consists of a tailings dam which formed as a result of the discharge of fine tailings from KTC between 2008 and 2013. The KITD Tailings was constructed by a conventional upstream discharge method and is a U-shaped tailings dam, constrained to the west, east and south flank by civil engineered (SRK Consulting, 2008) containment walls, and the northern ........
