Alphamin Resources provided an update on progress at its Bisie prospect in North Kivu, DR Congo, promising a resource update on Mpana North, the area it has explored most intensively to date, during the fourth quarter of 2014, plus the completion of various technical studies that will feed into a definitive feasibility study. The successful completion of the DFS is then expected to allow commencement of mine construction in 2016. However the company noted that development will be dependent on the granting of a mining permit and clarification of the status of artisanal mining on the site.
Alphamin’s maiden compliant resource estimate, released last November, for Mpana North (previously known as Gecomines) was 4.0 million tonnes of ore at 3.5% Sn for 141,200 tonnes of contained tin, with copper, lead, zinc and silver also present. Drilling at the Mpana South project will commence shortly. The company is now in discussion with the DRC government about the conversion of its exploration permit into a mining permit. Meanwhile an initial evaluation of a team from the ministry of mines concluded that the site should not be eligible for conflict free validation for artisanal mining, as surface deposits which could be mined safely had all been depleted. However a final decision has not been made on this. In its release Alphamin says that “as a result of the validation matter being unresolved, the Bisie Project has seen an increase in the number of artisanal miners on site. Whilst to date this has not caused any issues to the current operations or drilling activities, this matter does need to be resolved if a commercial mine is to be developed at Bisie.”
The company also announced that Charles Needham had been appointed as Chairman. Mr Needham’s previous industry experience included the successful development of the Ruashi copper mine in Katanga.
