Mawson West has completed a feasibility study for the development of a pit cut-back at its Dikulushi copper-silver project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
According to the study, the project has proven and probable mineral reserves of 539kt at 6.1% copper and 182g/t silver, $3.50/lb copper and $30/oz silver.
The process plant has a capacity of 500ktpa and is based on conventional comminution, flotation and filtration processes using a primary jaw crusher, secondary and tertiary cone crushers, ball milling and conventional flotation to produce a copper-silver concentrate.
The pre-strip cost of the project is estimated to be $61m, which will be fully funded from the firm’s existing cash reserves.
Life-of-mine operating costs for the project are expected to be $1.46/lb copper, excluding silver credit and including all mining, processing, general and administrative costs, and product transport and refining costs.
