|
The cobaliferous stockpiles at Kasese to be processed by the new plant.
In due course they will vanish and be replaced by a non-toxic slimes dam.
|
Kasese cobalt project
In early August 1997 Bateman Minerals & Industrial Limited (BMI)
started work on the detailed design and construction of a cobalt process
plant, infrastructure and a tailings dam close to the old Kilembe copper
mine in south-western Uganda.
The plant will produce about 1 000 tonne of cobalt metal per year, over
a period of about 11 years.
The first team of BATEMAN personnel at the site has set up the infrastructure
for this fast-track project aimed at commissioning the plant in the
last quarter of 1998. Most of the main orders were placed by the end
of October 1997 by which time detail engineering was well underway.
In November the civil contractor started the earth works and poured
the first concrete in February. Because of the remoteness of the site,
an office has been set up in Kampala to facilitate communications and
overcome logistics problems.
BATEMAN is providing the detailed engineering, procurement and construction
management for Kasese Cobalt Company Limited, a subsidiary of Banff
Resources of Canada which is owned by La Source, the French based mining
company controlled by Normandy of Australia and BRGM.
The process involves the bacterial leaching of cobaltiferous pyrite,
neutralisation with limestone to remove acid and iron, removal of copper
and nickel as saleable hydroxides with the purification and recovery
of cobalt by solvent extraction and electrowinning. The plant is unique
and, so far as is known, will be the first to employ bacterial leaching
coupled with solvent extraction and electrowinning of cobalt. BATEMAN
is also supplying the cobalt electrowinning engineering design package.
The cobaltiferous stockpile is situated in the foothills of the Ruwenzori
Mountains adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, some 12 km
from the Kilembe mine. The stockpile has over the years been partially
eroded causing widespread damage to the surrounding area. The treatment
of the stockpile will remove this source of pollution and leave a residue
in safely contained purpose designed dams. On completion of the project
all traces of the plant will be removed and the entire site grassed
over.
For further information, please contact Nick Haywood, BMI Project Manager,
on +27-11-899-3269 or email nhaywood@bmi.co.za
VIEW PDF
|
