• PROJECTS AND EXPLORATION
KOLA OPTIMISATION STUDY RECEIVED
• Location : Republic of Congo
• Phase : Exploration
• Resource : Potash
Kore Potash , the potash development company with 97 % -ownership of the Kola and DX Potash Projects in the Sintoukola Basin , located within the Republic of Congo ( RoC ), provided an update on the progress of the Optimisation Study and financing process for the Kola Potash Project ( Kola ) on 1 April 2022 .
The company announced it has received the Kola Optimisation Study ( Study ) undertaken by the engineering partner of the Summit Consortium ( Consortium ), SEPCO Electric Power Construction Corporation ( SEPCO ).
The Study was produced by SEPCO following extensive review of the Kola Definitive Feasibility Study ( DFS ) announced by Kore on 29 January 2019 .
Highlights :
• Delivery of the Study completed work on the optimisation of Kola . Focus has shifted towards the terms of an Engineering , Procurement and Construction contract ( EPC ) proposal .
• The Consortium advised that it expects to submit an EPC proposal based on the outcomes of the Study by the end of May 2022 .
• The Consortium advised that it is pleased with the outcome of the Study and is expected to provide the financing proposal for the construction of Kola following Kore Potash ’ s receipt of the EPC proposal and agreement on EPC terms .
• The company had commenced its detailed review of the Study and the next steps were to finalise agreement with the Consortium on the scope for inclusion in the EPC contract .
Brad Sampson , Chief Executive Officer of Kore Potash , commented , “ Receipt of the Kola Optimisation Study represents another key milestone towards the financing process for Kola . We enthusiastically await the EPC proposal and are excited to be closer to receiving the financing proposal from the Consortium , at a time when the world has become acutely aware of the need to develop new and high-quality long-life potash deposits like Kola that are located close to key global potash customers .”
10 • African Mining • June 2022
CONSTRUCTION OF LULO KIMBERLITE BULK SAMPLE PLANT CRUSHING CIRCUIT
• Location : Angola
• Phase : Development
• Resource : Diamonds
On 8 April this year , Lucapa Diamond Company Limited ( the company ) and its partners in the Projecto Lulo Joint Venture ( Project Lulo JV ), Endiama and Rosas & Petalas , announced the completion of construction of the crushing circuit of the standalone kimberlite bulk sampling plant on the prolific Lulo concession in Angola .
The full standalone plant is scheduled for completion and commissioning before Q2 , after which , the Project Lulo JV partners will expedite and process the kimberlite bulk samples at a significantly higher rate of approximately four kimberlite bulk samples per quarter .
The key objective of this kimberlite bulk sampling program is to identify the primary source pipe ( s ) of the exceptional large and high-value diamonds being recovered in the alluvial mining operations and to assist in a preliminary economic assessment of the potential source discoveries
Highlights :
• Construction of crushing circuit of standalone kimberlite bulk sampling plant completed
• Remainder of processing plant scheduled for completion in Q2 2022
• Allows priority kimberlites to be assessed at a significantly higher rate ~ four per quarter
The Project Lulo JV partners have already identified six diamondiferous kimberlite pipes , some with high proportions of rare Type IIa diamonds .
The L028 bulk sample result was an important outcome for the kimberlite exploration program in the Canguige catchment because it is the rare Type IIa content that allows Lulo to attract some of the highest average prices per carat for alluvial diamonds on the Lulo concession .
Managing Director , Stephen Wetherall said , “ With the injection of additional funding into the exploration program post the pandemic impact on progress , the advanced Lulo kimberlite exploration program will now deliver kimberlite bulk sampling results on a very regular basis . The partners look forward to furthering our work on the priority kimberlites and to identifying potentially economic sources .”
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