Asiamet says BKM feasibility study is progressing to plan
Friday, July 8 2016 - 02:10 AM WIB
TSX-listed Asiamet Resources Limited said Thursday that excellent progress is being made on the key long lead time items required for the Beruang Kanan Main (BKM) copper project feasibility study in Central Kalimantan.
The company said in a statement that field programs are now fully operational, adding that it has appointed Mark Young, a proven leader of mineral resources and infrastructure developments globally, to lead the owners team for the study.
Mark is a Principal of VCI Development and holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Minerals Processing) from the University of Queensland, with post graduate qualifications in applied finance and investment, along with strategy and business management, from the London School of Economics. He has led project teams in numerous countries and commodities for both entrepreneurial explorer-developers and major mining companies. Over the past ten years, he has been extensively involved in greenfield mine developments, including the Amaam coal project in Russia for Tigers Realm Coal and BHP Billiton's major potash developments in Canada. He has also worked on BHP Billiton's Chilean copper projects and on Rio Tinto's coal and iron ore operations in Australia.
At the BKM site a comprehensive Resource infill and extension drilling program is underway to upgrade a majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource i.e. 49.7million tons grading 0.6% Cu containing 657 million pounds of copper at 0.2% Cu reporting cut), to the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource categories. Four drills are operational with 13 holes/1585 meters of diamond core drilling completed to date. Two large diameter (PQ size) core holes have also been completed to collect fresh bulk samples for detailed metallurgical testwork. Approximately 100 holes/9000 meters of Resource drilling and 15 holes/2000 meters of metallurgy drilling is planned. First assay results are expected within the next week.
The company has also contracted a number of the key consultants and service providers required to oversee the long lead time items of the feasibility study and work programs in each of the key disciplines are underway. The various consultants and a summary of the work scope for each is provided below. Local Indonesian consultants, service providers and manpower are being utilized wherever possible.
PT Indodrill Indonesia: Large diameter core drilling (metallurgy samples)
PT Intertek Utama Services: Drilling and Environmental Assays
Hackman & Associates: Geology and Mineral Resources
? Drill program design
? Resource Modelling and Mineral Resource Estimation.
Millermet and CORE Laboratories: Detailed metallurgical test-work program, interpretations and evaluation comprising
? Overall copper recovery evaluation
? Resource-wide assessment of ore treatment characteristics and variability
? Short-column and Long-column Leach tests
? Solvent extraction analysis
? Quantitative mineralogical assessments
? Comminution and agglomeration tests
? Geo-mechanical assessments and composite derivations
? Materials handling assessments
? Geochemical assessments
? Leach kinetics characterization
? Geotechnical, geo-mechanical, geochemical and water management design criteria
? Basis of design for crushing and agglomeration, heap leach and SX-EW facilities
? Process selection and block flow diagrams including process simplification assessment
PT Lorax: Environmental Geoscience and Hydrology
? Geochemical assessment and waste rock properties characterization
? Hydrology and groundwater surveys
? Development of environmental controls basis of design criteria, including water and waste dump management parameters
"The BKM feasibility study represents a major de-risking phase for the project, the outcomes of which will be used by a wide range of stakeholders, including potential financiers, to assess the project's viability,? said Asiamet Resources CEO Tony Manini.
?As the feasibility study work programs are being advanced, important corporate activities continue to be progressed. Renewal of existing permits and conversion of licenses for the Beutong and Jelai projects are in the final stages of processing and corporate joint venture - partnership initiatives to ensure we are well placed to complete the feasibility studies are actively being pursued,? he added.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak