The mineral deposits at Kipushi are an example of carbonate-hosted copper-zinc-lead mineralisation hosted in pipe-like replacement and tabular zones. This deposit type tends to form irregular, discordant mineralised bodies within carbonate or calcareous sediments, forming massive pods, breccia/fault-like fillings and stockworks (Trueman, 1998). They often form pipe-like to tabular deposits strongly elongate in one direction. Zinc-lead rich zones can project from the main zone of mineralisation as replacement bodies parallel to bedding, as is the case at Kipushi.

This deposit type is associated with intracratonic platform and rifted continental margin sedimentary sequences which are typically folded and locally faulted (Cox and Bernstein, 1986). The host carbonate sediments were deposited in shallow marine, inter-tidal, salt flat, lagoonal or lacustrine environments and are often overlain unconformably by oxidised sandstone-siltstone-shale units. The largest deposits are Neoproterozoic in age and occur within thick sedimentary sequences.

The Katanga Supergroup hosts a number of epigenetic zinc-copper-lead deposits developed within deformed platform carbonate sequences. While many of these are relatively small (e.g. Kengere and Lombe in the DRC; Bob Zinc, Lukusashi, Millberg, Mufukushi, Sebembere, and Star Zinc in Zambia), Kipushi and Kabwe in the DRC and Zambia respectively represent world class deposits with predominantly massive sulphide mineralisation ........

Mining zones included in the current Kipushi Mine plans occur at depths ranging from approximately 1,200 mL and 1,590 mL with 0 mL being the surface. Access to the mine will be via multiple vertical existing shafts and internal decline. Mining will be performed using highly productive mechanised methods and CRF utilised or backfilling of open stopes. Depending on the required composition and available material, excess waste rock, and dense media separation (DMS) tailings will be used in the CRF mix as required.

Mining is planned to be a combination of Transverse Sublevel Open Stoping and Pillar Retreat mining methods. The Big Zinc area stopes are planned to be mined as Sublevel Open Stopes to be extracted in a Primary and Secondary sequence and filled with CRF. The sill pillars are to be mined on retreat once the stopes below and above have been mined.

The primary and secondary stopes are each 15 m W x 30 m H, with panels of two sublevels separated by a 15 m high sill pillar every 75 m vertically. Stope lengths vary from 5–60 m (maximum). Ore drives are developed perpendicular to the strike of the orebody, at a spacing of 15 m centre to centre. Drill drive dimensions are 6.0 m W x 6.0 m H and extraction drives are 5.5 m W x 5.0 m H, both with an arched profile.

On the sill pillar levels stopes are 15 m W x 15 m H, with stope lengths varying from 5–60 m. Drill drive dimensions are 6.0 m W x 6.0 m H, with drill drives located in permanent pillar ........

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