Modern Mining December 2023

BASE-METALS

skills, he has an intimate understanding of Prieska’s operating environment and ground conditions.” Orion targets a pipeline of profitable initiatives The globally diversified emerging miner was recently granted a further five new ‘copper ore’ and ‘tung sten ore’ areas to the Okiep Copper Project (OCP), located in the Northern Cape Province which increases its tenement holding west, south and east of the central Southern African Tantalum mining right area by some 30 000 hectares. The additional areas open up a number of excit ing opportunities for Orion Minerals to explore for potential copper and associated minerals to supple ment the Flat Mines Project, currently undergoing an Independent Expert’s Review of the Bankable Feasibility Study. “The ability to operate several individual mines within a twenty-kilometre radius under a central management hub brings economies of scale and lends flexibility with multiple production sites, each accessible via a well-established network of roads.” In addition to advancing its Okiep mine, Orion Minerals is also investigating opportunities to unlock further value from its flagship asset. “We have been seeking complementary opportu nities from our portfolio of existing assets, including prospects from our by-products. For instance, there is currently enormous demand for high quality, clean pyrite. As much as 10% of our ore contains clean pyrite and we have already received several inqui ries in this regard. At the moment, clean pyrite trades at over $200/t FOB.” The Prieska mine is also renowned for its byprod uct content of barite – a mineral, which is on the US critical minerals list, used in the oil and gas drilling process. “Following the recent massive oil and gas dis covery in offshore West Coast South Africa and in Namibia, and given the looming demand for good quality barite, we believe we have a valuable byprod uct on-hand that will significantly lift our profitability,” concludes Smart. 

Strong on ESG Smart notes that following the company’s significant investment on aspects related to tailings manage ment and water use management, it has realised several high-tech engineering solutions. “Our prudent water management and water discharge management solutions are pushing the environmental, social and governance side of our business a notch higher. In fact, on the back of our attention to ESG, Triple Flag – which demands adherence to the highest ESG standards – awarded us project financing. Our business philosophy is underpinned by our drive to meet high ESG stan dards and we work closely with our stakeholders and the community in which we operate to ensure we leave a positive environmental footprint.” Further to this, in making the jump from explorer to producer, Orion Minerals has changed its manage ment team to reflect its changing dynamics – bulking up its staff with engineers, and specialists in envi ronmental management, metallurgy and logistics, amongst others. “We have identified people with specific skills sets that understand the kind of mining we do. In fact, we were fortunate that Newrak Mining’s team has a production manager who previously worked on the Prieska mine when it was in operation 30 years ago which means that coupled with his modern mining

The underground operations at the Prieska Copper-Zinc Project.

Right: Employees working at the Prieska Copper-Zinc Project.

Below: Employees working on construction at the Prieska Copper-Zinc Project.

16  MODERN MINING  December 2023