Adelaide, Sep 7, 2006 AEST (ABN Newswire) - AIM Resources Limited (ASX: AIM) expects to slash by up to 12 months, the expected start-up time and move to full production for its flagship Perkoa zinc project in Africa.
The 500,000 tonne per annum zinc mine - in the Sanguie Province of Burkina Faso, 120 kilometres west of the capital, Ouagadougou - is now expected to commence mining mid next year.
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Addressing the Paydirt Media 2006 Africa Downunder Conference in Perth today,
AIM Managing Director, Mr Marc Flory, said the reduction in time to full production had been achieved through adopting a new mining method in consultation with the recently appointed engineering, procurement and construction manager, DRA Mineral Projects.
"The most influential factor was a decision to put in larger box cuts to 25 metres width as opposed to the original 10 metre section proposal," Mr Flory said.
"We were aiming for a 2008 start but this decision will allow that to be brought forward by a minimum six months but nearer 12 months on Perkoa.
"Our initial rate will be 500,000 tonnes per annum but we have the capacity at Perkoa - and with the changes proposed by DRA to lift that in a short time to 650,000 tonnes, with a high recovery rate annually of 65,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate"
Mr Flory also told Africa Downunder delegates that funding offtake agreements for the mine's zinc output, were imminent. AIM Resources expected to make an announcement on such agreements "within the next week or two-".
"We have been negotiating with two smelters and a metals trading company with a presence in West Africa and all of whom are interested in project participation," he said.
DRA Mineral Projects is an engineering company based in Johannesburg, South Africa which specialises in project management and process plant design.
Established in 1984, DRA Mineral Projects has successfully designed and commissioned many platinum and similar concentrators in Africa and have executed process plant projects in four other continents. The Perkoa Zinc process plant falls well within the company's range of expertise and skills.
Background on Perkoa Zinc Project
The Perkoa Zinc Project is 35km by road from the country's third largest town, Koudougou, which is linked to neighbouring states of Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo by tarred roads and by rail to Abidjan, capital of Cote D'Ivoire
Snowden Mining Consultants completed a Bankable Feasibility Study ("BFS") on the Perkoa Zinc Project in December 2005.
Perkoa has a JORC-compliant Ore Reserve of 6.3 million tonnes at a mine head grade of 14.5% zinc, equating to 907,679 tonnes of contained zinc metal.
The BFS incorporates a mine design consisting of a shaft and decline to access the ore body, ramping up to deliver 0.5 million tonnes per annum of ore. A simple processing facility comprises a crushing circuit followed by dense media separation, milling and flotation, resulting in the production of 116,000 tonnes per annum of relatively clean concentrate, grading 53% Zinc over a 14 year mine life.
Plant infrastructure in the study includes a tailings dam facility incorporating a return/storm water dam for capture and re-use in the processing plant. The main source of process water will be from a dam that has recently been constructed by the Burkina Faso Government, close to the Perkoa Zinc Project. Power will be provided by on-site diesel generators.
The BFS addressed the project's transportation requirements by recommending two of the alternatives available. The first route uses the rail line situated 30km from the Perkoa Zinc Project and passing through the neighbouring country of Cote D'Ivoire to the Port of Abidjan. The second route uses road transport alternatives passing through Ghana to the Port of Tema.
Contact
Kevin Skinner
Senior Consultant
FIELD PUBLIC RELATIONS
231 South Road
MILE END SA 5031
Tel: (08) 8234 9555
Fax: (08) 8234 9566
Mob: 0414 822 631
kevin@fieldpr.com.au
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