Taparko plant is a central point for the existing and future open pits. Current mining operations at Taparko are focused around multiple pits, namely: 35, 2N2K, Goengo, Tangarsi East (currently operating), Bouroum, Bissinga, Grand Trench (currently on hold) and Nayiri (new pit). The pits, however, are of relatively small sizes and all will be mined out before 2024. Currently, the main pits would include 35 and 2N2K which are both located in the nearest vicinity to the plant.
Production is undertaken through conventional drilling, blasting, loading, hauling, dumping and stockpiling processes.
3 Open Pit Geotechnical Considerations
The Taparko mining complex is formed from a number of small to medium size pits of varying maturity. The smaller pits generally mine oxide only, while the larger pits mine oxide and sulphide and are primarily excavated within fresh rock.
The Taparko and Bouroum mining complexes exhibit differing geological conditions. Bouroum is formed within gabbros, basalts (varying states of alteration) and tuffs, while Taparko is formed within meta-sediments, meta-volcanics and granodiorite.
Overburden slopes are formed from Saprolite that ranges in thickness but is in general approximately 25 m thick and can be considered soil strength with the presence of remnant structures that can lead to instability issues. The underlying fresh rock can be considered as Strong and with RMR values in the region of 55-65 wit ........
