Mutoshi Mine
Encyclopedia
Mutoshi Mine is a copper mine in Katanga Province
, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As of 2011 it was 70% owned by Anvil Mining
and 30% by the state-owned Gecamines
.
The mine was placed on care and maintenance in late 2008.
It is a reduced facies type copper deposit made up of two ore beds separated by a layer of siliceous dolomite.
The mine was first opened in 1903, and was initially worked for gold.
Between 1960 and 1987 a washing plant at the mine discharged mineralized material into the Kulumaziba watercourse.
Samples of the first 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) of the deposit indicated a resource of about 102,000 tonnes of contained copper.
and the private DRC company Emiko.
The property included the old Mutoshi mine, the Kulumaziba coarse rejects/tailings deposit, the Mutoshi Northwest deposit, the Nioka deposit, the Kamukonko cobalt prospect, and prospective ground on the Kolwezi Klippe.
In October 2005 the Economist Intelligence Unit
reported that Anvil's claim to Mutoshi was being disputed by Chemaf, an Indian-based company that operates the Etoile
copper and cobalt mine.
Chemaf, which apparently had strong political connections in the DRC, claimed it acquired the rights to Mutoshi in a 2003 deal with Emiko. The case was seen as an important test of the Mining Code's guarantee that the courts will uphold property rights.
In late 2005, Anvil started mining the tailings, at first with good results.
However, the company faced competition with artisanal miners on the property, and heavy rainfall had the effect of washing the more valuable coarser-grained tailings downstream, leaving less valuable fine-grained tailings. With increasingly poor results, operations were halted at the end of 2008.
processing of oxide open pit mine feed, processing copper and cobalt deposits around the old Mutoshi mine. Further drilling and testing were needed before the feasibility could be confirmed.
Katanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As of 2011 it was 70% owned by Anvil Mining
Anvil Mining
Anvil Mining is a copper producer that has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2002.The company headquarters are based in Montreal, Canada.Anvil is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Australian Stock Exchange....
and 30% by the state-owned Gecamines
Gécamines
Gécamines, or La Générale des Carrières et des Mines, is a state-owned mining company in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Its principal products are copper , cobalt and zinc...
.
The mine was placed on care and maintenance in late 2008.
Background
The Mutoshi Mine is an old open pit copper mine on the Kolwezi Klippe in the west of the Congo Copperbelt.It is a reduced facies type copper deposit made up of two ore beds separated by a layer of siliceous dolomite.
The mine was first opened in 1903, and was initially worked for gold.
Between 1960 and 1987 a washing plant at the mine discharged mineralized material into the Kulumaziba watercourse.
Samples of the first 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) of the deposit indicated a resource of about 102,000 tonnes of contained copper.
Tailings operation
In November 2004, Anvil Mining agreed to pay US$12.5 million for a 70% interest in the Mutoshi copper-cobalt project from the state-owned GécaminesGécamines
Gécamines, or La Générale des Carrières et des Mines, is a state-owned mining company in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Its principal products are copper , cobalt and zinc...
and the private DRC company Emiko.
The property included the old Mutoshi mine, the Kulumaziba coarse rejects/tailings deposit, the Mutoshi Northwest deposit, the Nioka deposit, the Kamukonko cobalt prospect, and prospective ground on the Kolwezi Klippe.
In October 2005 the Economist Intelligence Unit
Economist Intelligence Unit
The Economist Intelligence Unit is part of the Economist Group.It is a research and advisory company providing country, industry and management analysis worldwide and incorporates the former Business International Corporation, a U.S. company acquired by the parent organization in 1986...
reported that Anvil's claim to Mutoshi was being disputed by Chemaf, an Indian-based company that operates the Etoile
Etoile Mine
The Etoile Mine is an open-pit copper mine on the outskirts of Lubumbashi in Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo .Chemaf owns the license...
copper and cobalt mine.
Chemaf, which apparently had strong political connections in the DRC, claimed it acquired the rights to Mutoshi in a 2003 deal with Emiko. The case was seen as an important test of the Mining Code's guarantee that the courts will uphold property rights.
In late 2005, Anvil started mining the tailings, at first with good results.
However, the company faced competition with artisanal miners on the property, and heavy rainfall had the effect of washing the more valuable coarser-grained tailings downstream, leaving less valuable fine-grained tailings. With increasingly poor results, operations were halted at the end of 2008.
Future potential
In 2009, Anvil completed a scoping study for phasing out the existing Heavy Media Separation (HMS) operation and replacing it with SX-EWSX-EW
Solvent extraction and electrowinning is a two-stage metallurgy process that first extracts and upgrades copper ions from low-grade leach solutions into a concentrated electrolyte , and then deposits pure copper onto cathodes using an electrolytic procedure ....
processing of oxide open pit mine feed, processing copper and cobalt deposits around the old Mutoshi mine. Further drilling and testing were needed before the feasibility could be confirmed.