Underground mining kicks off at Rietberg mine in South Africa
Underground mining has been initiated at the Rietberg mine in South Africa marking the first copper production in the O’Kiep Copper District in over 40 years.
Copper 360 CEO Jan Nelson confirmed the report and said the reopening is part of Copper 360’s Cluster Mining Model, a strategy aimed at revitalizing several dormant mines in the area. It also represents a major milestone for both the company and the Northern Cape region.
Rietberg Mine
The Rietberg Mine, which was closed in 1983, and a history dating back to the early 20th century, is now set to play a significant role in the local economy by creating jobs and supporting community initiatives. Copper 360 holds mining rights over 19,000 hectares in the O’Kiep Copper District, where it has identified 12 mines and 60 historical prospects with a comprehensive dataset.
The Rietberg Mine boasts a measured and indicated resource of 4.78 million tonnes at 1.27% copper, equating to 60,800 tonnes of copper metal. Ore extracted from the mine is being processed at the Nama Copper Modular Floatation Plant (MFP) 2. The reopening advances Copper 360’s operations from copper plate production to copper concentrate production, with the mine expected to produce 45,000 tonnes of ore per month at a grade of 1.6% copper once the second MFP (MFP 1) is operational.
