Kambalda nickel concentrator. Image: Mincor.
Mincor Resources has confirmed a 132 per cent increase to its nickel sulphide reserves in the Kambalda district, Western Australia.
Its reserves are now sitting at 65,400 nickel tonnes, which announcement was concurrent to the completion of Mincor’s definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its nickel restart plan.
The DFS confirmed the potential of Mincor nickel operations to become a five-year operation, producing 63,000 tonnes of recovered nickel-in-concentrate.
The Cassini project was the main driver of the restart, contributing 56 per cent of the nickel-in-concentrate production with a maiden ore reserve of 34,300 tonnes.
Mincor managing director David Southam said the completion of the DFS and combined ore reserves represented the final step in closing out the DFS for the nickel restart program.
“The maiden ore reserves confirms Cassini as one of the largest and highest-grade nickel deposits in the Kambalda district,” Southam said.
“Today’s ore reserves, particularly at the new Cassini discovery, is just a starting point and recently reported significant drilling results down plunge the current Cassini ore reserve boundary clearly demonstrate the potential to further increase the size of the orebody.”
Mincor plans to carry out further infill and down plunge drilling in the Kambalda area, which has already uncovered promising results including intersection of 8.2 metres at 7.6 per cent nickel at hole MDD342.
“The northern operations in Kambalda represent one of the most highly endowed high-grade nickel sulphide mining areas in Australia,” Southam said.
“We see excellent potential to explore the 1.1 kilometres of untested basal contact between Long and Durkin North.”
As of December, Mincor has received all required approvals from the Western Australian Government to mine at Cassini.
The company plans to complete site works and box-cut as well as execute mining and logistics contracts during the June 2020 quarter.
Mincor aims to reach a final investment decision early in the September 2020 quarter and commence the first ore processing campaign and concentrate production in the December 2021 quarter.