KHOEMACAU PRODUCES ITS MAIDEN COPPER CONCENTRATES
Khoemacau Copper Mine has produced its first copper silver concentrate from its Boseto process plant. The concentrate was produced on Thursday. According to Botswana’s new copper producer, the production was achieved safely, within schedule and the overall Project remains within 3percent of the original budget. The first shipment of concentrate is scheduled for July 2021. “Since underground development of Khoemacau’s Zone 5 Mine commenced in early 2020, more than 350,000tonnes of high-grade sulphide ore has been stockpiled on surface, and is available to feed the facility. The ore is transported 35km from the mechanised Zone 5 underground mine to the processing facility via a sealed haul road,” commented the company.
Khoemacau expects to ramp up to full production through the balance of 2021. The Project has the capacity to produce 155,000 to 165,000 tonnes of high-grade copper and silver concentrate a year, containing approximately 60,000 to 65,000 tonnes of payable copper and 1.8 to2.0 million ounces of payable silver. The Company expects to achieve this production rate in 2022. “We are delighted to have reached this important milestone safely, on schedule and substantially within budget, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Khoemacau team and our business partners. This is particularly remarkable against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic over the last 16 months,” said an excited CEO Johan Ferreira. Meanwhile, Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Lefoko Moagi has hailed the project. “On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Botswana, we are very delighted that Khoemacau Copper Mining has achieved this major milestone and once again, it is a testimony to Botswana as a world class mining jurisdiction. We remain grateful that through foreign direct investment, Khoemacau will strengthen Botswana’s mining industry. The Khoemacau Starter Project coming on stream shall unlock the potential of the Kalahari Copper Belt and stimulate confidence in Botswana’s mining industry, for both greenfield and brownfield projects. We are grateful to Khoemacau and wish them great success, going forward.”