Exploration to Production Best of Class Case Study in Africa

By Tshepo Magagane

Exploration to Production Best of Class Case Study in Africa (Large Scale Mining Preparation) – I cannot begin to put in words the work that Dr Mulenga has already put into this project.

Remember, the orebody is 100km – the reserve he has defined is just for 4km – a month back he was telling me how he walked the entire land, doing the grid after he retired. He had to fly a plane from Cape Town to Joburg to Botswana to Lusaka to Mansa (5 days) for the geo-mapping – then had to drive a truck with jet fuel from Lusaka to Mansa (regulation restricts the speed limit to 60km/hr).

12 years of work.

Without outside capital.

It is possible to build indigenous-owned mining companies in Africa.

Turning this project into a large-scale mining operation would catalyse the entire Luapula Province!

It is the MINE, plus the Roads, plus the Power (hydro and solar+pv), then moving into Agriculture and other sectors.

Drawing I made shows you where the starting Open Pit is – based on 4km of Reserves in a 100km orebody!

The projects will be so key in how we catalyse Africa through the Transition Opportunities.

We can build these projects – as I have said, a Tier 2 Copper project at 50ktpa can produce revenues of USD500m-1bn pa at a cost structure of USD200m pa – but how do you unlock it, you need money for the MRE, PFS, BFS, PF – HOWEVER, YOU CAN RECOVER THAT in 18mths into production!