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Frontier Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotFrontier Mine comprises an open-cast copper mine and processing facilities to produce copper sulphide concentrate.

In 2021, Eurasian Resources also carried out an additional drilling campaign and slope stability assessment. These will help inform and further optimise another pit expansion (‘Cut 4’), which if approved, has the potential to extend the life of mine by more than 10 years.

In 2023, Eurasian Resources continued to develop Cut 4 to extend Frontier’s life-of-mine.

The Cut 3 project ended in the first half of 2024 and extraction of Cut 4 ore started in June 2024.

Based on brownfields exploration drilling carried out in 2023, we are planning a study to understand the potential for a further life of mine extension (Frontier Deeps) that could see mining shift underground.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Eurasian Resources Group S.à r.l. 100 % Indirect

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork
  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Sediment-hosted

Summary:

According Technical Report 2005:
The Frontier deposit is hosted within veined and altered sediments of the KatangaSupergroup, and is located in the southeastern extension of the Lufilian arc, a fold thrust beltof Neoproterozoic age. The stratigraphic location of the copper mineralisation ispredominantly within shales and conglomerates (the Grand Conglomerate) of the NgubaGroup. The shales unconformably overlie an Upper Roan subgroup dolomite, which hasbeen intersected in many of the drill holes, and underlie a second Ngubu Group dolomite unit.

The deposit is interpreted to be contained within a shallow south eastwardly plunging, north eastward dipping, overturned anticline, with the thickest mineralisation developed in the nose region of this fold. Alteration associated with mineralisation comprises sodic metasomatism, silicification and dolomitisation.

There is considerable faulting, which currently has been interpreted as predominantly parallel to strike. A major fault, referred currently to as the ‘A’ fault has considerable vertical displacement and form the westerly bounding fault for most of the deposit. There are several other fault sets, although there is not always displacement along these faults. The faults also affect the depth of oxidation, particularly the ‘A’ fault, where the weathering profile is significantly deeper.

Mineralization at Frontier is sediment hosted and epigenetic in style. It occurs higher in the stratigraphy than traditional Copperbelt deposits.

Mineralization is hosted by altered Ngubu shales and within the uppermost portion of the Grand Conglomerate polymictic breccia also known as a diamictite. Copper occurs as chalcopyrite with
minor bornite, and their oxidation and enrichment products in cross cutting quartz – albite -carbonate stockworks, veins, veinlets and breccias, and as foliation parallel disseminations in highly deformed and altered shales and underlying diamictite.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits2023202220212020201920182017
Copper kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe83140143
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.

Operational metrics

Metrics20232022
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Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 31, 2024
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Aerial view:

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