Sandfire produces first concentrate at Motheo copper mine
Sandfire Resources, has successfully produced the first copper concentrate at the Motheo copper mine in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt.
The company has stated that the construction of the mine is nearing completion. Over 92% of the equipment commissioning activities have been completed to support the initial processing capacity of 3.2 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).
At the end of last month, open-pit mining at the T3 deposit has resulted in the stockpiling of more than 270,000 tonnes of ore at 1.1% copper (mill feed) and 130,000 tonnes at 0.7% copper (lower-grade commissioning ore) on the run-of-mine pad.
Target
Having achieved the first concentrate production, Sandfire is aiming to make its first shipments from the mine by the middle of this year. The company’s current focus is on completing commissioning activities and achieving a production ramp-up to the 3.2mtpa processing capacity.
Furthermore, Sandfire has obtained approval for the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) from the Department of Environmental Affairs for the A4 deposit. This approval allows the company to acquire the mining license for the A4 pit. Sandfire plans to expand the mine’s capacity to 5.2mtpa, and the A4 deposit will play a crucial role in supporting this planned expansion.
Brendan Harris, the managing director and CEO of Sandfire Resources, stated that the first concentrate production marks the beginning of their ramp-up towards the initial 3.2mtpa capacity, which they expect to achieve sustainably during the September quarter of FY2024. He also mentioned that with the approval of the A4 project ESIA and the impending mining license, their focus now shifts to delivering a rapid and low-cost expansion in capacity from 3.2mtpa to 5.2mtpa by early CY2024.
The Motheo copper mine is located 70km from Ghanzi and is estimated to have a mine life of ten years. The open-pit mining operations at the T3 deposit are being carried out using the conventional truck and shovel method. The processing infrastructure includes a conventional crushing, grinding, and flotation processing plant.
