JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Half of the employees of the emerging Prieska Copper Zinc Mine in South Africa’s prospective Northern Cape were, as of June 30, made up of members of the host community towns of Prieska, Marydale, Vanwyksvlei and Niekerkshoop, Orion Minerals reported on Friday.

Through the development of its mineral resources base located in South Africa’s Northern Cape, Orion Minerals aims to be a next-generation base metals producer supplying future-facing metals for the global transition to a lower carbon future.

The final drawdown from the State-owned Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa and Triple Flag funding facilities, which collectively total R370-million for site establishment and trial mining, was received this month.

Trial mining has already resulted in 103 members out of a total of 206 on-site employees being near-mine people, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange main board listed Orion stated in a release to Mining Weekly.

In addition, a consequential proportion of the Prieska mine’s goods, services and subcontracting opportunities have been awarded to local suppliers in that 69% of contracts have been awarded to businesses that are either based in, or employ labour from the host communities of, Siyathemba and Vanwyksvlei, and 31% to businesses located elsewhere in the Northern Cape.

Site preparation and site establishment for trial mining were completed in June. Ore sourced from the trial mining will be used for metallurgical optimisation tests and the detailed design of a modular sulphide concentrator plant.

Then, at Orion’s Okiep Copper Project, 450 km west of the Prieska mine, the company headed by Boksburg-born CEO Errol Smart is on track to complete a bankable feasibility study for Flat Mines Area, where Orion has acquired 12 156 ha of surface rights to assure access.

Moreover, at Orion’s Jacomynspan nickel, copper and platinum group element project, 70 km north of the Prieska flagship, battery electric vehicle manufacturers could well become the end-users of the metal vapour powder products that Orion will be producing through the deployment of inventive refining technology.

Meanwhile, copper ore from trial mining is stockpiled on surface at Prieska, where the upgrade of the Cuprum electrical substation has been completed for the supply of 15 MVA, which is sufficient power for dewatering and early mining operations to run simultaneously.

Mechanical and electrical infrastructure installed in June 2024 has the capacity to provide more than the required 500 m³/hour of dewatering.

Blasting required to construct the lined 13 ha water storage dam/future tailings storage facility at Prieska has been completed, and key infrastructure for the water storage dam is being installed.

DECREASED OPERATING LOSS

The decreased operating loss of A$7.94-million  for the reporting period was primarily driven by exploration expenditure of A$4.24-million, contractor, consultant and adviser expenses of A$2.4 million, a net unrealised foreign exchange loss of A$2-million, and finance income of A$4.37-million, principally related to interest receivable on investment in preference shares.