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MODERN MINING
June 2014
MINING News
Vanguard, South Africa’s heavy-lift spe-
cialist, has just completed its heaviest
strand-jacking lift to date, the heaviest lift
of its type ever done in the region.
Two prefabricated conveyor trusses in
excess of 1 200 tonnes each have been lifted
from their assembly position at ground
level to their working position at a height
of approximately 50 m above the ground.
The conveyors form part of the new
plant currently being constructed by
First Quantum Minerals at its US$1,9 bil-
lion Sentinel copper mine project near
Inferred mineral resource estimate for Kombat mine
Kombat Copper Inc, listed on the TSX-V, has
completed its initial NI 43-101 inferred min-
eral resource estimate for the Kombat mine
project. The resource is put at 1,7 Mt grad-
ing 1,93 % Cu and 16 g/t Ag.
Located in northern Namibia, the
Kombat mine is a former producing cop-
per mine that opened in 1962 and closed
in 2008 with historical production of 12 Mt
grading between 2,5 % and 3,0 % copper
with additional credits for lead and silver.
It has been mined over a strike length of
3,5 km.
The initial inferred mineral resource
estimate was defined using the existing
historic surface and underground drill
holes from the Asis Far West part of the
Kombat property. The Kombat technical
team is still reviewing the extensive histori-
cal database, which now includes in excess
of 7 000 drill holes, and they have identi-
fied significant opportunities to increase
mineral resources with additional infill and
expansion drilling.
“This initial Inferred resource estimate at
Asis Far West will allow us to continue with
the preliminary economic studies focused
on restarting the Kombat mine operation,”
comments Bill Nielsen, President and CEO
of Kombat Copper. “We are very excited
not only with this initial resource estimate
but the number of quality exploration tar-
gets we have been able to identify through
the course of our data compilation of the
Kombat properties.”
Kombat Copper’s plans for the remain-
der of 2014 include continued focus on
the Asis Far West area of the Kombat mine.
Various studies on determination of pro-
duction scenarios as well as estimated
capital and operating costs are ongoing.
Shaft, underground development and
mill refurbishment studies are also being
undertaken.
Vanguard in challenging heavy lift at Sentinel
Mwinilunga in north-west Zambia.
Using four 418-ton strand jacks with an
integrated computer control system, the
two conveyor trusses (one 80 m and the
other 67 m in length) were hoisted in a‘syn-
chronised lift’ into position. Each lift took
less than a week to complete and the proj-
ect was successfully completed in earlyMay
by Vanguard’s six-member on-site team.
Comments Ron Wiggill, Vanguard’s
heavy lift engineer and senior project
manager for the operation: “In conjunc-
tion with First Quantum’s projects office
in Australia, we had – prior to the start of
the onsite works – been involved in the
design of the system for almost one year.
In addition to the huge weight, the project
was made even more challenging by the
extreme tolerances to which we had to
work and fit the conveyor sections.”
Vanguard is a South African company
specialising in the transport, lifting, plac-
ing and assembly of heavy plant across all
industries. Vanguard was established 40
years ago and completed its first strand-
jack lift in 2005.
One of the 1 200-ton trusses Vanguard strand-jacked into position, with a second truss about to be raised. These lifts at the Sentinel copper mine in Zambia are
reportedly the heaviest of their type ever carried out in the region (photo: Vanguard).
