Mining Intelligence and News
Namibia

Haib Copper Project

Click for more information

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StagePreliminary Economic Assessment
Commodities
  • Copper
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Haib Copper project is a large volume porphyry copper deposit situated in an ideal location adjacent to modern infrastructure which has the potential to become a large copper producer.

There already exists a significant body of technical data concerning the Haib mineralisation and the period between resource estimation, pre-feasibility and definitive feasibility studies could be relatively short.

The High Court of Namibia has rendered its judgment and reviewed and set aside the decision of the Minister not to renew the Haib Copper license EPL. On July 7, 2023, the Ministry has officially approved the renewal of the license EPL 3140. The License is valid for a period two years from the date of renewal.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Koryx Copper Inc. 100 % Indirect
Haib copper project is 100%-owned by Deep-South Resources Inc. through Haib Minerals (Pty) Ltd.

Contractors

Lock

- subscription is required.

Deposit type

  • Porphyry

Summary:

The Haib copper deposit is a porphyry copper deposit of palaeo-Proterozoic age. Porphyry copper deposits are a major world source of copper (also molybdenum, silver and gold) with the best-known examples being concentrated around the Pacific Rim, in North America, South America, and areas such as the Philippines. Most of these deposits are relatively young, of Tertiary or Cretaceous age.

The Haib deposit has all of the above defined geological characteristics (see Section 7 above) and is therefore a porphyry copper deposit, being formed within intrusive Proterozoic rocks at 1 880my BP.

Mineralization
The Haib deposit is in essence a very large volume of rock containing copper mineralization. The grade is variable from higher grade in the three core zones (possibly averaging >0.4%) progressively decreasing towards the margin of the deposit. The area in which mineralization has been identified equates approximately to the outer ring of the GFM 22-year pit design. This gives a pit size of 2200x1250x400 metres equating to some 1300 million tonnes of mineralized rock. The deposit is still partially open to the west (at surface) and to the south at depth.

Mineralization is not confined to any specific units although the quartz feldspar porphyry tends to contain the three higher grade zones. Mineralization is clearly secondary and post-dates the formation of the original volcanic pile. Mineralization is widespread throughout although frequently associated with fractures and joints.

The principal sulfides within the Haib body are pyrite and chalcopyrite with minor molybdenite. Bornite, digenite, chalcocite and covellite are also occasionally recorded. There is no major development of a supergene zone, probably due to high rates of erosion associated with the Orange River canyons. Near surface oxidation has led to the formation of malachite, azurite, chrysocolla, minor cuprite and chalcocite, generally along fracture zones. Oxide copper rarely extends to depths in excess of 30 metres on these fracture zones. While the oxide zone volumetrically represents a fairly minor proportion of the deposit, grades are significantly above average giving the potential for some leachable copper from the oxide material. These portions of the deposit have not been examined in detail and there is significant potential to improve their volume and grade.

In addition, there is a variable thickness of transition zone generated over large parts of the deposit, between the surface and a pure sulfide (un-oxidised) zone of some 10-20 metres thickness.

Sulfide minerals are disseminated within the rock mass and found concentrated in blebs and along veinlets and fractures. Significant mineralization commonly occurs along joint planes.

Gold, silver and molybdenum are trace constituents associated with the copper mineralization. Molybdenite is occasionally seen as disseminated flakes and veinlets associated with other sulfides and in minor shears and quartz veins. Assaying for gold, silver and molybdenum was not routinely conducted on drill samples but has been carried out on composite samples prepared for metallurgical testing, giving an approximate indication of the likely values. Values determined were: - 0.02 g/t gold; 0.9 g/t silver; and 25 g/t molybdenum.

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Lock

- subscription is required.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. Annual
Copper Cathode lbs 77,894,214
Copper Equivalent Metal lbs 113,720,448
CuSO4.5H2O Crystals lbs 112,613,875

Operational metrics

Metrics
Hourly processing capacity  ....  Subscribe
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe
Stripping / waste ratio  ....  Subscribe
Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Total tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2024 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
Total cash costs Copper Equivalent USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price CuSO4.5H2O USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Copper USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2024 study / presentation.

Operating Costs

CurrencyAverage
OP mining costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
G&A ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2024 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Total CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax NPV @ 7.5% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 7.5% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

Lock

- subscription is required.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneEmailProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 20, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 8, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 8, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 20, 2024

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.