Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Hydraulic mining
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2033 |
The Ramu Mine is one of the lowest cost integrated nickel mines in the world. |
Source:
p. 6

In PNG, the Project is an unincorporated joint venture between MCC Ramu (85%); MRML (2.5%) and MRRL (with 3.94%) two subsidiaries of Mineral Resource Development Corporation (MRDC) on behalf of PNG government and landowner interests; and Conic (now Nickel 28 Capital Corp.) currently holds an 8.56% joint-venture interest in the Ramu operation.
Ramu is operated by the Metallurgical Corporation of China (“MCC”).
Contractors
- Subscription is required.
Summary:
The Ramu deposit is a typical laterite nickel and cobalt deposit formed by weathering and leaching of the original ultramafic intrusive rocks, mostly dunite with small amount of harzburgite and pyroxenite in a tropical climate with large amounts of rainwater, saturated with atmospheric carbon dioxide, and a local monsoonal rainfall pattern. When the ultramafic rocks are subject to strong weathering, olivine, augite and other ferromagnesian silicate minerals rich in nickel, cobalt and other elements will decompose; the released SiO2 is progressively removed by ground and/or surface water in the form of colloid or siliceous acid, and the ferrous iron is oxidised to ferric iron and converted into hydroxides and oxides, such as lepidocrocite, goethite and hydrohematite, and left in situ. Nickel, cobalt and other elements are absorbed by the clays in the saprolite, or directly precipitated from the colloidal solution, or enriched in secondary nickel silicate minerals, consequently forming a lateritic nickel-cobalt deposit within the weathering crust. At Ramu, nickel and cobalt have been enriched from a background of around 0.3% Ni and 0.01% Co in the ultramafic bedrock up to grades averaging 0.9% Ni and 0.1% Co in the laterite profile.
The Ramu laterite nickel and cobalt deposit occurs in the weathering crust of ultramafic intrusive rocks, mostly dunite. The deposit above the dunite bedrock is divided into six laterite layers, from top to bottom, the humic layer (Q), t ........

Mining Methods
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Hydraulic mining
Summary:
The Kurumbukari (KBK) owner-mining operation utilizes conventional open-pit mining methods. MCC carries out all mining operations with a fleet of excavators and trucks along with other ancillary equipment to support the mining fleet. After an initial trial period, hydro- sluicing, using hydraulic water jets, was introduced in 2016 as a second form of extraction where the geometry was suitable; hydro-sluicing has accounted for around 30% of production since its introduction.
The hydraulic water jets dislodge and transport fine material from the mining face, down an inclined drainage channel to a collection point, where it is pumped directly to the wash plant for transfer to the beneficiation plant.
After the initial logging of the trees by specialised teams, the humus/topsoil and overburden are generally removed by bulldozers; excavator and truck haulage are used if the quantities are significant. The topsoil is temporarily stockpiled on the mining area, and then excavated and hauled to the mining area boundary and stockpiled for later mining rehabilitation reclaim. Overburden is excavated with small-scale excavators and hauled in articulated sixwheel dump trucks. Overburden is either placed directly into pit voids, backfilling the old mining areas in preparation for mining rehabilitation, or stockpiled at the mining area boundaries for later reclaim.
Limonite, saprolite, and rocky saprolite ore are excavated and hauled to either one of the ........

Source:

- subscription is required.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:

- subscription is required.
Reserves at December 31, 2019:
The Ni cut off grade is at 0.5% Ni, and the minimum mineable thickness is at 0.5m.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Proven
|
21 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.91 %
|
Proven
|
21 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.1 %
|
Probable
|
33 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.85 %
|
Probable
|
33 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.09 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
54 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.88 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
54 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.09 %
|
Measured
|
77 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.86 %
|
Measured
|
77 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.09 %
|
Indicated
|
67 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.83 %
|
Indicated
|
67 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.09 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
145 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.84 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
145 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.09 %
|
Inferred
|
21 Mt
|
Nickel
|
0.9 %
|
Inferred
|
21 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.1 %
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Cash costs
|
Nickel
|
USD
|
......
|
......
|
......
|
......
|
0.87 / lb†
|
† Net of By-Product.
- Subscription is required.
Financials:
| Units | 2022 | 2020 | 2017 | 2016 |
Revenue
|
M RMB
| ......  | |
|
|
Gross profit
|
M RMB
| ......  | |
|
|
Pre-tax Income
|
M
| | |
37.4 USD
|
-15.8 USD
|
After-tax Income
|
M
| | ......  |
37.4 USD
|
-15.8 USD
|
- Subscription is required
Pipelines and Water Supply
Source:

- subscription is required.
Heavy Mobile Equipment as of July 24, 2019:
HME Type | Model | Size |
Excavator
|
|
20 t
|
Truck (haul)
|
.......................
|
35 t
|
- Subscription is required.
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
- Subscription is required.
- Subscription is required.