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Botswana

Motheo T3 Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Motheo operations are centred on the development and mining of the T3 and A4 Open Pit mines. With a central processing facility, Motheo produces high-quality copper concentrate (containing a silver by-product).

Sandfire's newest mine, Motheo, achieved commercial production on 1 July 2023, only 45 days after the commencement of commissioning activities. The Botswana Department of Mines subsequently approved an extension to the Motheo Mining Licence in August 2023 that allowed the rapid and low-cost expansion in processing capacity to 5.2Mtpa to commence.

Commissioning of the new ball mill in December 2023 was the final major milestone in expansion project. In parallel, development of the A4 open-pit mine, located approximately 8km from our centralised processing facility.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Sandfire Resources Ltd. 100 % Indirect
The Motheo mine is wholly owned by Sandfire Resources Ltd. through its subsidiary Tshukudu Metals Botswana (Pty) Ltd.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Sediment-hosted

Summary:

The T3 deposit occurs within the Ghanzi-Chobe belt in Western Botswana. The stratigraphy in this belt comprises the basal Kgwebe Formation volcanic lithofacies unconformably overlain by the Ghanzi Group sedimentary lithofacies.

The Ghanzi Group is a dominantly siliciclastic marine sedimentary group comprising (in successively higher stratigraphic order) the Kuke, N’gwako Pan, D’Kar and Mamuno Formation sedimentary lithofacies. The Ghanzi Group is an overall fining-upwards succession of sedimentary lithofacies, with sandstone and conglomerates of the Kuke Formation overlain by arkose, siltstone, shale and limestone of the N’Gwako Pan, D’Kar and Mamuno Formations.

The T3 deposit is focused on a NE-SW trending periclinal anticline with a core of N’Gwako Pan Formation that is overlain by a succession of D’Kar Formation sediments. The axial region of the anticline has been breached along a moderately northwest dipping brittle-ductile thrust zone such that moderately northwest dipping D’Kar Formation lithofacies in the hanging-wall of the thrust zone rest with angular contact upon sub-horizontal lithofacies in the footwall.

The T3 Mineral Resource has been defined along an approximate 2km long strike length and 720m downdip and mineralisation remains open at depth. Mineralisation strikes and dips parallel to a 20 30 degree north-west dipping thrust zone, and is considered to be a structurally hosted, epigenetic deposit that formed synchronous with regional deformation.

Cu-Ag mineralisation that forms the focus of the T3 deposit extends from approximately 25m – 300m below surface. The mineralisation strikes and dips parallel to the thrust zone and is considered to be a structurally hosted, epigenetic deposit that formed synchronous with deformation during Damara orogenesis. Mineralisation extends for 1940m along strike and the cumulative total true width of mineralisation within the thrust zone ranges from 10m – 80m.

Numerous, sub-parallel zones of mineralisation are developed within the thrust zone with high-grade mineralisation focused on master dislocation planes and associated foliated zones. Cumulative total true width of mineralisation within the thrust zone ranges from 10-80m, with primary sulphide Cu mineralisation hosted within quartz-carbonate veins and disseminations.

Primary sulphide copper mineralisation is hosted by one or more of chalcopyrite, bornite and chalcocite. Vein-hosted chalcopyrite and bornite are dominant, whilst disseminated chalcocite occurs in lesser amounts throughout the deposit.

Where oxidised, primary copper sulphides are altered to malachite, chrysocolla or covellite. Mineralisation starts at shallow depth below surface (~25m depth) and extends beyond the limit of the planned open pit at ~250m depth.

Host rocks include limestone, marl, shale, black shale, siltstone and sandstone within a 300m wide sequence of interbedded sediments within the lower part of the D’Kar Formation. The contact between D’Kar Formation and the Ngwako Pan Formation is approximately 150-200m below the base of the T3 deposit.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

CommodityProductUnits20242023
Copper Concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Copper Metal in concentrate M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Copper Payable metal M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Silver Metal in concentrate koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Silver Payable metal koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Copper Equivalent Metal in concentrate t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Copper Equivalent Payable metal t  ....  Subscribe
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics20242023
Stripping / waste ratio  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
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Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2024
Credits (by-product) Copper USD  ....  Subscribe
C1 cash costs Copper USD  ....  Subscribe
C1 cash costs Copper USD  ....  Subscribe
^ Guidance / Forecast.
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency2024
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe

Financials

Units2024
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD
Sustaining costs M USD  ....  Subscribe
Capital expenditures M USD  ....  Subscribe
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe
EBIT M USD  ....  Subscribe
EBITDA M USD  ....  Subscribe
Operating Cash Flow M USD  ....  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

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Aerial view:

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