Nevsun Extends Mine Life at Bisha

Nevsun Resources and its Eritrean partner ENAMCO have approved an expansion of mine production and an extension of mine life at their Bisha open-pit zinc-copper mine in Eritrea. The new mine plan is based on additional feed of 3.3 million metric tons (mt) of high-grade ore to the Bisha mill and will extend operations through the end of 2022. Additional payable production of 470 million pounds (lb) of zinc and 52 million lb of copper in concentrates will be achieved over that time frame.

Bisha production in 2018 is forecast to be in the range of 210 million to 240 million lb of zinc in zinc concentrate and 20 million to 30 million lb of copper in copper concentrate.

In addition to increased production and revenue, the extension of Bisha mine life provides time for Nevsun to advance assessment of the Asheli and Harena underground deposits near Bisha and to consider further open-pit extensions.

Capital costs to develop the new mine plan are estimated at $39.7 million, of which $20.9 million is for larger mining equipment. The larger equipment is expected to yield a unit mining cost 23% lower than the existing fleet.

As featured in Womp 2018 Vol 07 - www.womp-int.com