Chadwick to see Oyu Tolgoi copper/gold mine progress first hand
International Mining’s John Chadwick is flying to Mongolia to visit the Oyu Tolgoi project next week in preparation for an Operation Focus article on the mine in early 2011. It is the world’s largest known undeveloped copper-gold project and is located in the South Gobi region of Mongolia, approximately 80 km north of the Mongolia-China border. When Oyu Tolgoi moves into full production, it will be one of the world’s top three copper-gold mines. International engineering and project management company AMEC has been commissioned by Oyu Tolgoi LLC to undertake the feasibility study for Lift 1 of the underground Hugo North block cave operation of its copper and gold mining project in Mongolia. Over the next 25 months, AMEC will work with Oyu Tolgoi’s engineering team to develop designs, specifications, cost estimates and a construction schedule for an 85,000 t/d block cave operation.
Matt Gili, Chief Operating Officer for Oyu Tolgoi said: “The high grades of the underground mine make its design a crucial part of realising the value from the project over the long-term, for all stakeholders. We look forward to working with AMEC and itspartners in delivering this value.”
To support in the delivery of this complex project, AMEC has partnered with RSV of South Africa for shaft engineering, AC-Tek for dynamic simulation of underground conveyors and Analytical Laboratory Consultants for laboratory service design.
On October 6, 2009, Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto signed a long-term, comprehensive Investment Agreement with the Government of Mongolia for the construction and operation of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mining complex. The agreement creates a partnership between the government — which will acquire a 34% interest in the project — and Ivanhoe Mines, which will retain a controlling 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi. Global miner Rio Tinto, which joined Ivanhoe Mines as a strategic partner three years ago, presently holds a 29.6% interest in Ivanhoe Mines.
Based on Ivanhoe Mines’ discoveries at Oyu Tolgoi during the past nine years, independently verified estimates indicate that Oyu Tolgoi contains approximately 81,000 Mlb of copper and 46 Moz of gold in Measured, Indicated and Inferred resources.
Ivanhoe Mines announced a 2010 construction budget of $758 million, to begin full-scale construction of the copper-gold mining complex in southern Mongolia. Ivanhoe is considering a schedule that could see construction of the initial open-pit mine completed in 2012 and commercial production begin in 2013.”
The 2010 budget provided for an early start on a site-wide development program and is planned to include:
* Resumption of the sinking of the 10-m diameter Shaft #2, which will be used to hoist ore to the surface from the deep, underground, copper-gold-rich Hugo Dummett Deposit
* Construction of a 97-m tall (approximately 31 storeys), reinforced-concrete headframe for Shaft #2
* Pouring the concrete foundation for the 100,000-t/d concentrator and deliveries of building materials for the concentrator and infrastructure
* Installation of a 20-MW power station and 35-kV distribution system
* Initial earthworks for the open-pit mine at the Southern Oyu deposits
* Continuation of lateral underground development off Shaft #1 at the Hugo Dummett Deposit
* Construction of a 105-km highway link to the Mongolia-China border, which will be fully paved by the time production begins * Construction of a regional airport, with a concrete runway to accommodate Boeing 737-sized aircraft.
Matt Gili, Chief Operating Officer for Oyu Tolgoi said: “The high grades of the underground mine make its design a crucial part of realising the value from the project over the long-term, for all stakeholders. We look forward to working with AMEC and itspartners in delivering this value.”
To support in the delivery of this complex project, AMEC has partnered with RSV of South Africa for shaft engineering, AC-Tek for dynamic simulation of underground conveyors and Analytical Laboratory Consultants for laboratory service design.
On October 6, 2009, Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto signed a long-term, comprehensive Investment Agreement with the Government of Mongolia for the construction and operation of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mining complex. The agreement creates a partnership between the government — which will acquire a 34% interest in the project — and Ivanhoe Mines, which will retain a controlling 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi. Global miner Rio Tinto, which joined Ivanhoe Mines as a strategic partner three years ago, presently holds a 29.6% interest in Ivanhoe Mines.
Based on Ivanhoe Mines’ discoveries at Oyu Tolgoi during the past nine years, independently verified estimates indicate that Oyu Tolgoi contains approximately 81,000 Mlb of copper and 46 Moz of gold in Measured, Indicated and Inferred resources.
Ivanhoe Mines announced a 2010 construction budget of $758 million, to begin full-scale construction of the copper-gold mining complex in southern Mongolia. Ivanhoe is considering a schedule that could see construction of the initial open-pit mine completed in 2012 and commercial production begin in 2013.”
The 2010 budget provided for an early start on a site-wide development program and is planned to include:
* Resumption of the sinking of the 10-m diameter Shaft #2, which will be used to hoist ore to the surface from the deep, underground, copper-gold-rich Hugo Dummett Deposit
* Construction of a 97-m tall (approximately 31 storeys), reinforced-concrete headframe for Shaft #2
* Pouring the concrete foundation for the 100,000-t/d concentrator and deliveries of building materials for the concentrator and infrastructure
* Installation of a 20-MW power station and 35-kV distribution system
* Initial earthworks for the open-pit mine at the Southern Oyu deposits
* Continuation of lateral underground development off Shaft #1 at the Hugo Dummett Deposit
* Construction of a 105-km highway link to the Mongolia-China border, which will be fully paved by the time production begins * Construction of a regional airport, with a concrete runway to accommodate Boeing 737-sized aircraft.
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