Aim-listed Bezant Resources has commissioned independent consultancy firm Sound Mining International to generate a technical report focusing on the near-term development of the Hope deposit, in Namibia, where mining and processing are expected to start soon.

The report does not include a detailed assessment of other deposits and targets comprising the wider mineral resource estimate (MRE) within the Hope and Gorob copper and gold project area.

According to the report, the latest Hope pit optimisation suggests a potential 2.4-million tonnes of run-of-mine (RoM) plant feed at a copper grade of 1.25% copper and a gold grade of 0.25 g/t gold.

This represents an about five-year openpit operation at a production rate of 480 000 t/y.

An operating cost estimate of $50.80/t RoM is equivalent to an indicative cost per tonne of contained copper in concentrate of $5 020.

The report highlights the Hope deposit underground MRE of 0.9-million tonnes RoM at a copper grade of 2.04% copper and a gold grade of 0.48 g/t gold, providing a further four-year life-of-mine (LoM) potential at a production rate of 220 000 t/y.

Preliminary mine design and production scheduling at the Gorob and Vendome deposits indicates a further 1.01-million tonnes RoM potential at a copper grade of 1.28% copper and an additional two years of planned production at 480 000 t/y.

Sound Mining is producing an updated mine design and production schedule to assist preferred contractors with detailed planning and scheduling.

“We would like to thank Sound Mining for their excellent work on Hope and Gorob, bringing together the technical aspects of the project. Sound Mining is currently generating an updated mine design and production schedule required by our preferred mining contractor for detailed scheduling purposes.

“This published study largely focuses on the Hope deposit, and we are encouraged by the projected LoM for the openpit and underground resource which provides ample time to undertake further infill drilling to test the many deposits and prospects making up the known extension to the current Hope mineral resource,” says Bezant executive chairperson Colin Bird.

In October, Bezant announced that it had received the notice of preparedness of the granting of mining licence 246 for the Hope and Gorob project.

The company has now submitted the written acceptance and is awaiting the formal statutory approval.

The mining licence is subject to standard terms and conditions under the Minerals Act, which Bezant says it is working actively to meet.