Base metal refinery plant possible
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday October 27, 2015 18:00
“Part of the preliminary outcomes indicated that the minimum required annual tonnage of 100 000 tonnes of copper concentrate is achievable considering the current operations and anticipated projects in the country,” said Mokaila, the minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, at a base metals beneficiation forum last Thursday.
Mokaila said Discovery Metals (assets now acquired by Cupric) had the potential to annually produce 36 000 tonnes, African Copper 14 000 tonnes while Khomacau will provide 50 000 tonnes of copper.
Mokaila said that a final feasibility study to assess the viability of setting a base metal refinery in the country would be completed by December this year.
Mokaila stated that the government, through the Minerals Development Company Botswana (MDCB), may also consider acquiring a stake in the base metal project should the final feasibility study prove viable.
He advised financiers and mining companies to start positioning themselves to benefit from the metal refinery project should it come to pass.
The minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting projects such as the metal base refinery through the provision of necessary infrastructure like power, roads and water.
“The 600MW Morupule B coal power station is in commercial operation phase with the operation and maintenance service including capacity building on going. The defects notification period of the project will last until June 2016,” he said.
He added that preparatory works to return Morupule A power station to production commenced at the end of September and three units (of 90MW) are scheduled to be in service by the end of October 2016 while the last unit of 30MW is expected to be ready by October 2017.
In addition, a preferred supplier for the 300MW independent power plant to be located near Morupule B is about to be identified with plans suggesting that the power station would begin running by end of 2018.
Mokaila also said the government is pursuing renewable energy initiatives such as solar power generation in order to boost electricity supply in the country to support ventures such as the proposed refinery project.
The minister further noted that government has embarked on a number of projects, which are implemented in various parts of the country as a means of complementing security of water around the country. These water projects, he said, will also help support businesses such as the proposed refinery.
In July 2014 in Maun, copper miners and their stakeholders met to discuss the possibility of setting up a base metal refinery in the country. It was then recommended that a feasibility study be carried out to examine the viability of such a plant.