Sumatra Copper: Tembang project achieves practical completion

By Romel S. Gurky

ASX-listed Sumatra Copper & Gold plc said Monday that the carbon-in-leach (CIL) process plant at the company?s 100 percent owned Tembang gold and silver project located in Sumatra, has achieved practical completion for construction with waste material now being fed into the facility eight weeks ahead of schedule.

The company said in a statement that blasting has also commenced at the underground and open pit mines currently under development following receipt of the final explosives permit. The achievement of these key milestones has brought forward the expected timing of the first gold pour to late September 2015, it added.

David Fowler, Managing Director, commented: ?The construction and operations teams have been outstanding in successfully delivering the Tembang Project to this point, ahead of schedule with good safety performance. We are also appreciative of the support provided by the local government, community and our suppliers who have worked with us to achieve this important outcome. The expected first gold pour in September 2015, 8 weeks ahead of schedule, will herald a new era for our Company and provide a significant boost to the local economy.?

Elsewhere, Sumatra Copper provided the following updates on operations, and infrastructure and process plant.

Operations
? The final explosives permit has been received and permission has been granted for discharge into the tailings storage facility (TSF) pending issue of the final B3 waste permit.
? Portal access and ground support has been fully established at the flagship Belinau underground mine and blasting and decline development has commenced.
? Pre-strip mining has commenced at the high grade Siamang deposit.
? Dewatering and pre-strip blasting has commenced at the Bujang pit.
? Blasting has commenced at the Berenai open pit cut-back with ore continuing to be mined and stockpiled at the run-of-mine (ROM) pad.
? A new General Manager, Leonard Manurung, has been appointed. Leonard, a mining engineer with an MBA, has more than 20 years of resources experience and has held senior operational management roles in international companies including PT. Freeport Indonesia.
? Significant advances have been made to bolster and expand the company?s community engagement and community development initiatives as well as strengthening the security team, systems and processes.

Process Plant & Infrastructure
? Practical completion for construction of the CIL process plant has been achieved
? The project team has handed the process plant over to operations.
? Waste material has been fed into the plant and the SAG mill vendor trials, at a 30%, 60% and 90% charge, have been completed.
? During construction there were no Lost Time Injuries (LTI) and only a single Medical Treatment Injury (MTI).
? It is expected that the first gold pour will be achieved towards the end of September 2015.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak