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The site of Reunion Mining’s Skorpion zinc project.
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Study for Reunion’s Skorpion zinc project
BATEMAN has been appointed to carry out the feasibility study for
the Skorpion zinc project in Namibia. The client is Reunion Mining PLC
which is earning a 60 % interest in the deposit from Erongo Mining and
Exploration Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of the Anglo American Corporation
of South Africa.
In addition to providing design engineering and cost estimation services
for the metallurgical plant, BATEMAN, assisted by various subcontractors,
will investigate the considerable amount of new local infrastructure
required and assist Reunion to compile the feasibility study report.
The Skorpion deposit is located about 75 km north-east of Oranjemund
in south-western Namibia. The mineral resources and reserves have been
determined by Steffen, Robertson and Kirsten (UK) Ltd and amount to
about 15M tonne of ore at a grade of 11,3 % of zinc. The ore body is
near the surface, overlain consistently by about 8 to 15 m of overburden.
The ore, waste and overburden are all soft and this, together with a
low stripping ratio, will contribute to low mining costs.
Reunion’s objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of producing
special high grade zinc at a rate of 130 000 to
150 000 t/yr over a life of 10 to 12 years.
The ore is oxidized and amenable to direct leaching. Broadly, the processing
plant will involve crushing, milling,
atmospheric leaching, neutralization, impurity removal, zinc solvent
extraction and electrowinning, casting and sulphuric acid generation.
A sizeable sample of ore is currently being subjected to laboratory
and pilot plant testwork at Tecnicas Reunidas (TR)
in Spain. TR will supply a process design package for the leach, impurity
removal and solvent extraction steps. It will also test the electrowinning
stage under the direction of Union Miniere (UM) of Belgium. UM will
supply a basic
engineering package for this portion of the plant.
Reunion has a team of six under the direction of Norman Green stationed
in BATEMAN’s offices for the duration of the study. Since Reunion
was responsible for the initial development of the process, considerable
input is expected from the team during the study and good relationships
have already been established.
For further information, please contract Steve Burks, BATEMAN Study
Leader, on +27-11-899-2756 or email basemetals@batemanengineering.com
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