Bwana Mkubwa Open Pit - Zambian Copperbelt (sitios de interés)

Bwana Mkubwa was first worked around 700 AD and more recently during two periods, 1930-31 and 1971-1984. The latter 14-year period of production consisted of open-pit mining of mixed sulfide/oxide ore.

 

The level of mining in the area created large copper tailings and waste dumps, the largest of which, No. 4, covers 45 hectares. These dumps have been the initial focus of First Quantum's activities in the area. Various studies including a Bateman Engineering feasibility study completed in August 1996 concluded that there remains significant concentrations of recoverable copper on the property from tailings, waste and hard rock sources. Drill testing of only the No. 4 oxide tailings dump defined a reserve of 8.4 million tonnes grading 0.73% copper. In addition, Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) reported 230,000 tonnes grading 2.54% copper in the west wall of the pit. A Watts, Griffiths and McOuat (WGM) 1990 report identified 900,000 tonnes grading 2.85% copper in the pit floor. Furthermore, WGM reported an additional resource of 3 million tonnes grading 1.4% copper in the immediate vicinity of the pit.