The Phu Kham deposit represents a copper-gold porphyry system, with mineralisation present in skarn, stockwork and disseminated styles. Significant folding and alteration events have created a complex heterogeneous mineralogy horizon. Weathering and water table contact have created a leached zone, overlying transition zones with supergene chalcocite- dominant secondary copper mineralisation and clay-rich gangue. Primary ore copper mineralisation is mainly chalcopyrite with minor bornite. The major challenges to the copper-gold fl otation process are a wide size distribution of chalcopyrite mineralisation and poor primary grind liberation, a high pyrite content in skarn ore requiring aggressive pyrite depression conditions, clay-rich gangue and nonsulfi de copper mineralisation in weathered zones, and a signifi cant association of gold with pyrite.

Mineralisation is present in iron-rich skarns, silica-rich stockwork, and altered disseminated styles. Chalcopyrite and bornite are the dominant primary copper minerals in skarn, stockwork, and disseminated mineralisation. Gangue mineralogy is mainly quartz, mica and pyrite, with signifi cant kaolinite clay and talc-related magnesium silicate content within the weathered zones.

A gold-enriched oxide zone on the Phu Kham orebody was the resource for the heap leach gold mine which was built and operated by Phu Bia Mining during the 2005 to 2010 period. Below the oxide zone, there is a zone of supergene weathering ........

The Phu Kham operation consists of a copper gold mine using conventional shovel mining and truck haulage to the concentrator.

Mining operations at Phu Kham use a mobile fleet management system (Jigsaw) that incorporates real time global positioning technology to ensure that specific waste rock types are directed to the correct destination on a truck-by-truck basis.

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