Lubambe explores use of excess water

LUBAMBE Copper Mines has begun exploring alternative strategies to utilise excess water, which is pumped out during operations.

The mining firm in Chililabombwe has thus started pumping water from a 750-meter deep borehole to monitor ground water levels and recharge rates.

Lubambe General Manager for projects, Tommie van der Walt, said that an opportunity had been created to investigate alternative strategies to utilise the excess water.

Mr Walt said the test pumping was also being undertaken to ascertain the effectiveness of dewatering boreholes. He said the initiative would also provide alternative and preferable water supply to the mine and to determine the aquifer parameters.

Mr Walt was confident that this would update and reduce uncertainties in ground water model and estimated inflows for both the current mine and the extension area.

The test hole was drilled in 2015 in extension area where the company was conducting some exploration drilling.

He said that ground water flow modelling had indicated that most of the ground water being pumped out was clean and would help Lubambe Copper Mine deal with water outages. Mr Walt added that the extension test hole presented a unique opportunity to hydraulically test the approximately 200 meter head of water while monitoring re charge rates as well.

Meanwhile, Technical Services Manager, Charles Carnie, said a life of mine study concluded in February this year has revealed that the mine has a life of at least 11 years. The study looked at the current reserves of an ore deposit and at the optimal extraction of that ore, and included the much larger deep extension project.

Mr Carnie said the study allowed Lubambe to integrate the current mine with the much bigger and higher grade extension project to the South, which could ultimately lead to a combined mine life of over 50 years.