Discover Metals updates on Boseto

Discovery Metals has reported on progress on the commissioning and the ramp up of copper-silver concentrate production at its 100% owned Boseto Copper Project in north-western Botswana.

The Projexpolders use in quarrying industryect is designed to produce an average of approximately 36,000 tonnes copper and 1.1 million ounces silver per annum in concentrate from 3 million tonnes per year of ore feed.

Open pit mining production at the Zeta Deposit was 150,000 tonnes of ore in July. The quantum of ore mined was less than planned, with the third (and last) 350 tonne excavator still awaiting commissioning at month end (requires electrical repairs). Operation of this excavator is necessary to allow the design mining rate (delivering 250,000 tonnes of ore to the Boseto concentrator each month) and mining costs to be achieved.

Late commissioning of the third excavator limited ore mining to mainly transitional type ore with some oxide. At month end mining had reached the 940 level, which is approximately the top of the sulphide mineralisation zone. Mining of this zone is projected to commence from mid-August.

Waste removal is concentrating on lengthening the pit to the NE and SW and on the first cutback on the hanging wall side above the exposed sulphide zone.

Planned progress in August is to continue to increase the rate of processing towards the ultimate goal of 250,000 month, to commence processing of sulphide ore and to significantly increase the tonnage and grade of concentrate produced.

Discovery Metals’ Managing Director, Brad Sampson said “We aimed to achieve 50% of design capacity in our first full month of commissioning at Boseto and both the mine and process plant have performed at above this rate. Commissioning of the final excavator will increase ore delivery to the plant and allow a further improvement in the quantity of ore processed in August. Along with recent strong exploration results and Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources delineation at the Project, Discovery Metals is establishing the foundations for long term copper production in the low sovereign risk jurisdiction of Botswana.”