Asiamet reports significant progress in BKM Copper Project FS
Saturday, October 7 2017 - 12:10 PM WIB
Excellent progress continues to be made on the Beruang Kanan Main (BKM) Copper Project Feasibility Study (FS), in Indonesia?s Central Kalimantan Province, encompassing all technical, commercial, environmental and community disciplines, said TSX-listed Asiamet Resources Ltd in an update report of the FS published on Friday as follows.
Mine Engineering
Mine engineering activities ramping-up: Australian Mine Design and Development (AMDAD) were engaged in 2016 to undertake the mining engineering components of the Feasibility Study. AMDAD has extensive and relevant experience working in Indonesia and in early 2017 completed a Project Definition Study (PDS) for the BKM project which built upon the planning from the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) to provide better definition for the Feasibility Study scope of work. The results of the AMDAD PDS provided a high level of confidence in advancing to a Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS).
AMDAD are now developing new mining cost models and re-running a series of pit optimizations based on the updated BKM Resource and utilizing more refined metallurgical and project planning information.
Metallurgical Engineering
Metallurgical test-work program continuing optimization activities: David Readett from MWorx, the lead metallurgical consultant for the BKM Feasibility Study, has continued to oversee the leach column program being undertaken at CORE laboratories in Brisbane. Column tests have been running since January 2017 and the short (2 meter) columns are currently progressing through the scheduled closure process. Results in relation to this work are anticipated before the end of October. The longer columns (6 meter) will continue operating as planned, through to the fourth quarter of 2017.
The study team have also recently initiated a hydrodynamic testing program which is being conducted at the world-leading HydroGeoSense (HGS) facility in Arizona. The hydrodynamic testing is a critical input to the heap-leach design and focuses heavily on the physical behavior of fluid-flow within the heap.
Key data generated from these programs will allow the project team to develop a robust and optimized set of design criteria for the heap-leach pads and overall process engineering work.
Geochemistry
Kinetic test-work focused on the behavior of the proposed waste dump materials to environmental conditions overtime is underway and will support the geochemical analysis being completed by our environmental team at PT Lorax.
Vendor Selection
Additional contractors and consultants continue to be engaged to support ramp-up of activities.
The selection of a process engineering service provider is well advanced, with proposals having been submitted to the Company from seven international engineering consultancies. Engagement of the preferred process engineering contractor will be made shortly along with service providers covering the following key study components:
- Power supply: Based upon the PEA it is anticipated that approximately 20MW of electricity will be required to support operations at BKM. The study will determine the most appropriate technical and commercial approach to supply power to the BKM operation.
- Water Management: Asiamet, supported by PT Lorax's Indonesian and international experts, is developing site-wide water and load balances using custom-built water management models. This is a key area for the BKM Project to be initiated early this month.
- Site Infrastructure layout: Asiamet will shortly commence a limited drilling program to confirm the suitability of key areas for locating mine-site infrastructure from a mineralization and geotechnical perspective. This work is planned to be completed in the 4th quarter of 2017.
Peter Bird, Asiamet's Chief Executive Officer commented: "Following on from an intensive Resource evaluation drilling program and subsequent significant upgrade in the BKM copper Resource estimate, we are pleased to report a significant ramp up of activity relating to the engineering and design aspects of the BKM Bankable Feasibility Study.
The Bankable Feasibility Study is very focused on fine tuning the outcomes of the PEA. We are really pleased with the positive results generated from the early phase engineering and design studies, coupled with the excellent results from our exploration and metallurgical test-work programs. Work to date reaffirms the potential for developing a high-quality copper mine at BKM. The detailed engineering and design is a large package of work which will significantly advance the progress and robustness of the BKM BFS and we look forward to progressively reporting results as they become available."
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak