Overview
| Status | Care and Maintenance |
| Mine Type | Underground |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Processing |
|
| Production Start | 2006 |
| Mine Life | 5 years (as of Jan 1, 2017) |
On the 26th November 2019 the Company suspended mining the Nifty Sulphide deposit and placed the Nifty Copper Operation on care and maintenance.
After completion of the Nifty Open Pit Scoping Study and restarting of the feasibility study - Life of mine (LOM) will increase to 10 years. |
| Latest News | Cyprium Metals Updates Nifty Copper Project Restart Progress September 28, 2022 |
Source:
p. 27
| Company | Interest | Ownership |
|
Nifty Copper Pty Ltd.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
|
Cyprium Metals Ltd.
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
Paterson Copper Pty Ltd holds the Nifty Copper Operation through its 100%-owned subsidiary Nifty Copper Pty Ltd.
In March 2021, Cyprium acquired 100% of the shares on issue held by Metals X Limited (“Metals X”) in Paterson Copper Pty Ltd.
Contractors
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Summary:
The Nifty deposit is hosted within the folded late-Proterozoic Broadhurst Formation which is part of the Yeneena Group. The Broadhurst Formation is between 1000 m to 2000 m thick and consists of a stacked series of carbonaceous shales, turbiditic sandstones, dolomite and limestone. Structurally, the dominant feature is the Nifty Syncline which strikes approximately southeast-northwest and plunges at about 6-12 degrees to the southeast. The stratabound copper mineralisation occurs as a structurally controlled, chalcopyritequartz dolomite replacement of carbonaceous and dolomitic shale within the folded sequence. The bulk of the primary mineralisation which is currently being mined is largely hosted within the keel and northern limb of the Syncline.
Summary:
Underground mining is currently carried out using open stoping methods and backfill. This is a bulk mining method where stopes (25m wide, 25 to 50m long and 40 to 60m high) are drilled and blasted and copper ore is loaded and hauled into to an underground crusher and conveying system.
Source:
Summary:
Sulphide ore processing occurs through the 2.8Mtpa processing plant via conventional comminution, grinding and flotation to produce a clean copper concentrate.
The conveying system transports the copper ore to the surface for processing by conventional flotation techniques.
Recoveries & Grades:
| Commodity | Parameter | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Copper
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | ...... | 92.2 | 93.9 |
|
Copper
|
Head Grade, %
| ...... | ...... | 1.33 | 1.77 |
Production:
| Commodity | Units | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Copper
|
t
| ...... | ...... | 16,774 | 23,264 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.
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Operational Metrics:
| Metrics | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Ore tonnes mined
| ...... | 1,321,032 t | 1,361,019 t | 1,390,007 t |
|
Tonnes processed
| ...... | 1,254,879 t | 1,361,371 t | 1,397,534 t |
|
Annual processing capacity
| ...... | 2.5 Mt | 2.5 Mt | 2.5 Mt |
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Reserves at June 30, 2020:
On the 26th November 2019 the Company suspended mining the Nifty Sulphide deposit and placed the Nifty Copper Operation on care and maintenance pending the outcome of a strategic review to consider re-start scenarios. On this basis, the Company has taken the decision to withdraw the Ore Reserve estimation pending the completion of a re-start feasibility study.
| Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Total Resource
|
Heap leach
|
3,310 kt
|
Copper
|
0.74 %
|
23 kt
|
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide
|
39,650 kt
|
Copper
|
1.51 %
|
598 kt
|
|
Total Resource
|
Oxide
|
4,330 kt
|
Copper
|
0.86 %
|
37 kt
|
|
Total Resource
|
Total
|
47,290 kt
|
Copper
|
1.39 %
|
658 kt
|
Heavy Mobile Equipment as of October 4, 2019:
| HME Type | Size | Quantity |
|
Truck (underground)
|
50 t
|
.......................
|
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Aerial view:
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