Modern Mining March 2018

MINING News

Positive Scoping Study on Balama Central

at an average rate of approxi- mately 550 000 t/a at 10,6 % Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC) to produce 53 000 to 55 000 tonnes annually of dry graphite concentrate with a grade of approximately 97 % TGC. It is proposed that 100 % of this ore will be mined from the indi- cated resources of 8,9 Mt at 9,3 % TGC. The estimated pre-produc- tion capex is US$50 million with payback in less than 1,5 years. Operating costs are estimated at US$372/t (including blasting costs). The project has a mine life of more than 10 years based on indicated resources only. The flowsheet has been developed based on the results of test work performed on rep- resentative samples and is very similar to that of the Montepuez graphite project (see page 15).

Balama Central – process flowsheet and transport.

It comprises crushing in a primary jaw crusher; closed-circuit milling; rougher flotation; concentrate regrinding and con- centrate cleaning; concentrate filtration; concentrate drying, screening and bag- ging; and tails thickening and disposal. Battery Minerals says it is possible that it could fund development of Balama Central from cashflow from its Montepuez graph- ite project, approximately 60 km north of Balama Central. Montepuez is currently in the early stages of construction and reportedly remains on target for commis- sioning in the December 2018 quarter. It is expected that it will export its first shipment of graphite concentrate in the March 2019 quarter.  jobs during the construction phase and is expected to create 75 permanent jobs dur- ing the operation phase.   The inauguration of the newpower plant, located approximately 350 km north east of Burkina Faso’s capital city, Ouagadougou, took place on 16March andwas attended by representatives from IAMGOLD andWärtsilä, as well as the President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. Wärtsilä has been contracted to operate andmaintain the plant under an Operations & Maintenance agreement. With the com- pletion of the project, Wärtsilä now has over 7 GW of installed capacity in Africa. 

ASX-listed Battery Minerals has completed a Scoping Study on its Balama Central graphite project located in northern Mozambique. According to the company, the study describes a project with glob- ally competitive low operating costs and a high value concentrate with the potential to deliver strong operating cashflows over a long period. The study is an interim step towards completing a feasibility study which Battery Minerals expects to finish in mid-2018. The Scoping Study targeted product specifications, operations costs, capital costs and a development strat- egy that would ideally complement the company’s other graphite development

project in the same area, Montepuez. Battery Minerals’ Managing Director, David Flanagan, said the study showed Balama Central had outstanding poten- tial. “We have identified a very strong operating and financial balance for Balama Central and, while the outcome is extremely strong, we still think there is room for further improvements as part of the feasibility studies. With this robust development strategy now clearly mapped out, we will move to secure our mining concession, progress the detailed engineering and design work and secure additional offtake agreements.” Under the Scoping Study, it is pro- posed to mine the Balama Central deposit dent power producer Total Eren SA and African Energy Management Platform (AEMP) to build the plant. Made of close to 130 000 photovoltaic panels, the 15 MW solar power plant com- plements the existing 57 MW heavy fuel oil (HFO) power plant. It is estimated that fuel consumption at Essakane will be reduced by some 6 million litres per year as a result of the installation. In addition, annual CO 2 emissions will be reduced by as much as 18 500 tons. The project generated more than 200

Solar hybrid power plant inaugurated at Essakane What is reported to be the world’s largest solar hybrid power plant has been inaugu- rated at the Essakane goldmine of IAMGOLD Essakane SA in Burkina Faso. The facility will provide a reliable and sustainable supply of round-the-clock energy which is essential in operating the off-grid gold mine.

Commissioned in 2010, Essakane pro- duced 389 000 ounces of gold attributable to IAMGOLD – which has a 90 % interest in the mine – in 2017. Technology groupWärtsilä was selected by the global renewable energy indepen-

14  MODERN MINING  March 2018