Kombat mine to reopen

Augetto GraigThe long-awaited return of one of Namibia’s most iconic copper mines looms imminent as Kombat comes back online. Namibian mine building heavyweight Tulela Mining and Construction has been appointed by Trigon Metals as the open pit mining contractor for its Kombat copper mine. Trigon describes the Kombat project as its flagship, with mining and prospecting licences covering an area of more than 7 500 hectares in the Otavis mountain lands.Three mining licences cover the historic Kombat mine, which produced some 12.46 million tons of copper between 1962 and 2008, at a grade of 2.62%, as well as neighbouring Gross Otavi and Harasib, which Trigon believes are highly prospective for lead and zinc. The company also holds an interest in two exclusive prospecting licences, which represent a potential strike extension of Kombat, it said. On 11 August, Trigon announced that it signed an agreement with Tulela to start equipment mobilisation and site establishment this month to prepare to commence open pit mining by next. Tulela was selected for its extensive open pit operating experience in sub-Saharan Africa, the Canadian mining junior elaborated. In particular, Tulela’s knowledge of the Kombat area, being a locally Namibian owned and operated, clenched the selection.Tulela provides mining and construction services to various operations such as for Vedanta Zinc International’s Skorpion Zinc mine and at Chingola in Zambia. Able to offer processing, engineering and logistical solutions, Tulela can provide a range of services across the value chain. “In support of Trigon’s emphasis on local employment creation, Tulela aims to employ operational staff from the immediate region. The management team of Tulela has extensive experience in open pit mining and underground mining. A brand-new fleet of trucks and shovels is destined for this project to ensure that efficient production volumes will support the business plan,” the announcement from Trigon read. Jed Richardson, president and CEO of Trigon, said: “The appointment of Tulela as our open pit mining contractor is a milestone in our move towards production. Activities at site continue to advance daily and we remain on track to achieve our target of production by the end of the year”.Kombat mine already has over US$100 million worth of usable infrastructure in place. That includes a 1 100 tonne a day mill, an 800-metre shaft with two other vertical shafts, extensive underground workings, a tailings facility, ramp systems, mine buildings and a concentrator. Its close proximity to the port of Walvis Bay and to one of only five commercial-grade smelters in Africa - in the nearby town of Tsumeb - is an additional benefit to the project, according to Trigon’s website. Despite a successful operation with all the necessary elements for continued success, operations were forced to shut down due to mismanagement and underground flooding in 2008, the site read. The water level in the mine has since been drained to 100 metres, which is sufficient to restart the mine from open pit. When open pit production begins, high-efficiency pumps and proper back-up systems will focus on draining the remaining water ahead of returning to underground mining, according to Trigon.The company anticipates production at Kombat mine to resume by the end of this year and ramp up to full production of 4 000 tonnes of copper in concentrate during 2022. Initial mining will coincide with accessing ore from open pit sources. Planned production will increase to 14 500 tonnes of copper in concentrate in 2024, when higher grade underground ore begins to be recovered and as planned upgrades to crushing and milling are incorporated, the company said.augetto@republikein.com.na

Kombat mine to reopen

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Republikein 2025-05-01

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Kombat mine to reopen

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