Base metals development company Orion Minerals is progressing the company’s Prieska copper/zinc mine (PCZM) and the Okiep copper project (OCP), with the bankable feasibility study (BFS) for both projects expected to be completed before the end of the first quarter of 2025, with production expected to start 12 to 15 months after securing finance.

The company is steadily developing the PCZM since its establishment, and has successfully conducted trial mining, ensuring that the project is ready for mining, despite various ongoing processes having to continue into 2025 – such as shaft refurbishment and dewatering, reports Orion Minerals corporate communications and investor relations executive Avishkar Nagaser.

“During 2023 and 2024, the mine site was fully established and trial mining of the +105 level resources was successfully undertaken. PCZM is fully permitted and ready to mine,” he adds.

There have been several developments already completed at the PCZM project to contribute to its state of readiness. These include the establishment of process water pipes and pumps from the Orange river, installation of dewatering and forced evaporation infrastructure, an agreement with State power utility Eskom for power supply, construction of tailings storage facilities (TSFs), as well as the employment of a key site team.

“As the different components of financing come into place, we will start with ordering long lead time items and commence other early works. Work on the shaft refurbishment and dewatering will also continue,” says Nagaser.

Some of the readily accessible finance options include commercial debt, equity and offtake-related financing, he adds.

Two different plants require construction at PCZM – an initial plant for processing the supergene ore, which will produce copper and zinc, as well as a larger, conventional base metals concentrator plant for processing copper and zinc concentrates deeper in the main part of the orebody.

“The plant will replicate what was historically used at the mine but using more modern technology and controls,” notes Nagaser.

Initial production at the PCZM project is expected to produce about 3 000 t of copper, he says, adding that once in a steady-state production phase, the operation is expected to produce 22 000 t of copper grading 1.7%, and 65 000 t of zinc grading 1.6%, using a variety of mining methods, such as drift and fill mining with cemented rockfill, as well as long-hole open stoping with paste fill.

Further, the BFS for the OCP operation will be completed “imminently” after which financing will need to be secured this year, and will require construction of a process plant and TSF for the Flat Mines project before production starts.

The company also has plans for exploration drilling to expand the known resources at the OCP, and aims to restore the production output at both facilities back to between 30 000 t to 50 000 t of copper a year, as well as getting the resources back to a 1.9% grading – as historically achieved by previous mine owners.

In addition to the PCZM and OCP operations – which focus solely on copper and zinc concentrates, Orion Minerals also boasts an extensive project portfolio of exploration projects for other critical metals, including cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel and tungsten.

The company is actively ensuring that it meets various environmental, social and governance objectives by investing in new technology that will optimise and streamline mining processes to reduce waste, enhance sustainability and improve the safety of workers, as well as engaging with surrounding communities to promote transparency.

Nagaser believes that Orion Minerals will soon play an important role in enhancing the copper industry in South Africa and will provide global investors exposure to higher copper grades and outputs in an effort to meet growing demand, despite not yet being able to fully meet the demands of global supply, which requires intercontinental collaboration between African countries.