The Chilalo open pit mine is planned as a conventional truck and shovel operation, using 40-50 tonne articulated trucks and matching excavators. Early stages of the open pit are expected to be free-dig, with the remainder to be mined using standard drill and blast techniques. Contractor mining has been assumed for the life of mine. Investigation of owner operator mining, supported by a fleet of ancillary equipment, will be undertaken as part of the BFS.
The geotechnical parameters utilised in the pit design are as per the recommendations by Open House Management Solutions' geotechnical consultants.
Initial waste generated from mining is to be used for construction of the Tailings Storage Facility (‘TSF’) and thereafter to be dumped in a designed location outside of the pit.
Pit ramps have been designed with the following characteristics:
• The dual lane ramps are 15m wide to allow for safe passage of the selected trucks with an allowance for a bund wall on the open side of the ramp and a drain on the inner side.
• The single lane ramps are 10m wide can be used for mining last benches and good bye cuts.
• Gradient of 1:10 is practicable with the proposed mining fleet.
• Ramps exit the pit crest in the direction of both the ROM and waste rock dumps.
Minimum mining width of 30m is maintained for the cutback designs, however minimum 20m of mining width is maintained on normal benches. The waste dump will be ........
