08 Sep 2016

Although there is currently no production at Khoemacau Copper Mining (PTY) Ltd, the company is busy preparing to be fully operational by 2019.

Khoemacau’s regional manager, Mr Johannes Tsimako, said in an interview that the Botswana registered mining company, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cupric Canyon Capital (Cupric), was focused on developing and mining copper assets in Botswana.

He said Cupric was a private company owned by management and the Global Natural Resource Investments and it is geared towards all phases of the mining process, from exploration, development and operations, he told BOPA in an interview. 

Khoemacau acquired the Boseto operation (previously owned by Discovery Copper Botswana)  in July 2015 and the acquisition included an operationa 8 000 -tonne-per-day plant, tailings dam, 18-megawatt power plant, workshops, offices, as well as the accommodation units in Toteng near Maun.

He said Khoemacau was advancing the Qhoree and Boseto projects towards production startup in 2019, and current study suggests an annual production rate of up to 50,000 tonnes of copper and 1.4 million ounces of silver contained in concentrate. 

Metallurgical testing indicated that concentrate grades would exceed 42 per cent copper, said the mining boss.

Further, he explained that the company was currently completing drilling and feasibility work for the development of its significant high-grade copper-silver resource in Botswana. 

“To date, Khoemacau has completed 377 500 metres on the Khoemacau property. Most of the drilling was done at Zone 5, or the locally referred to Qhoree operation,” he said.

Mr Tsimako said Sulphide ore was encountered approximately 70 metres below the surface at its shallowest, and that it extended to at least 1 200 metres below surface while remaining open at depth.

The characteristics of the ore body are favorable for the developments of a low-cost underground mine, he said. 

Although Mr Tsimako said currently the copper prices were depressed, he highlighted that there was a slight improvement from previous months. 

“Copper prices will always be cyclic and for companies to survive, they need to have efficient processes.”

Mr Tsimako said as a community minded organization, the company would continue to contribute significantly to the up-liftment of communities in Botswana.

He said Khoemacau had donated a borehole, borehole equipment, diesel, and pipeline material to the community of some, as well as a house in Toteng, funds and consumables to the respective communities and schools in the region

On the environmental front, Mr Tsimako said the department of environmental affairs authorized the company’s environmental and social impact assessment for the Qhoree project area in October 2014, following a lengthy review process and community consultations.

 He said Khoemacau was going to utilize safe, proven and robust world-class methods that minimize the environmental impact, to extract copper from the various deposits. 

“The company will only be an underground mining operation and the processing plant will include crushing, grinding and froth flotation,” he explained.

To date, Mr Tsimako said  Khoemacau had spent approximately US$250 million on the project, which includes the Boseto acquisition.

He said the company continued to contribute to the economy through employment, skills development and skills transfer to locals, community upliftment, and infrastructure development.

Mr Tsimako explained that Khoemacau employed approximately 140 people which include 37 temporary employees. 

“Currently there are 184 contractor employees on site. The contractors provide security, catering and drilling activities,” he said ENDS