Whereas a lot of the important thing mineral processing gear for use at Barrick’s landmark Reko Diq copper-gold challenge in Pakistan has already been outlined in a sequence of bulletins from key gamers reminiscent of Weir and Metso – the meant (nonetheless to be formally confirmed) main mining fleet had not but been detailed till now in a February 19 model of the technical report, which types a part of an up to date feasibility research, and particulars the mining strategies for use together with the meant gear.
The up to date feasibility research outlines a 37-year mine life with a complete estimated capital funding on a 100% foundation of US$8.83 billion, to be divided into two phases, with Section 1 having an estimated whole capital value of $5.6-$6.0 billion (100% foundation, unique of financing prices).
On February 11, 2025, the Board of Administrators conditionally permitted the event of Section 1 topic to the closing of as much as $3 billion of restricted recourse challenge financing. Assuming $3 billion of challenge financing, Barrick’s share of the overall associate fairness contribution required for the event of Section 1 is anticipated to be $1.8-$2.0 billion.
Early works building commenced throughout the first quarter of 2025, with first manufacturing anticipated by the top of 2028. The challenge will leverage 5 of the fifteen recognized porphyry floor expressions inside the present mining lease, highlighting substantial future progress potential.
Underneath the up to date feasibility research, Section 1 is deliberate to see 45 Mt of mill feed processed yearly, ramping as much as 240,000 t of copper and 297,000 oz of gold (on a 100% foundation). By 2034, Section 2 will increase operations to 90 Mt/y, growing annual manufacturing to a median of 460,000 t of copper and 520,000 oz of gold for the primary ten years (2034-2043). 2044 will see the height mining fee of 250 Mt/y and a life-of-mine strip ratio of 1.07.
The Reko Diq mine has been designed as a large-scale open pit operation. Mining will likely be carried out year-round, 24 hours per day utilizing typical drill, blast, load and haul strategies. The first shovel fleet consists of electrical rope and diesel hydraulic shovels with 360 t class haul vans. The first fleet is supported by front-end wheel loaders and ancillary gear.
Haul vans will ship run-of-mine (ROM) ore from the open pits on to the first crushers or close by ROM pad, or to short-term longer-term ore stockpiles. Waste rock will likely be positioned in one among three onsite waste dumps or used for tailings storage facility building.
Mining will likely be undertaken in two bodily separate areas, termed the Western Porphyries and Tanjeel. The Western Porphyries pit incorporates the deposits known as H79, H15, H14 and H13. The smaller Tanjeel pit lies roughly 4 km to the east of the Western Porphyries pit and exploits the H4 deposit.
The Western Porphyries deposits are round, deep, large-scale copper-gold porphyry complexes. Mining within the Western Porphyries pit is forecast to succeed in a peak fee of 250 Mt/y (685,000 t/d) and the deposit is amenable to the deployment of 1,400 t class rope shovels as the first loading software.
The Tanjeel copper porphyry deposit options sub-horizontal layering ensuing from supergene enrichment and has a extra irregular ore distribution when comparted in opposition to the Western Porphyries deposit. Peak mining fee within the Tanjeel pit reaches roughly 40 Mt/y (110,000 t/d) and the first loading unit will likely be 700 t (34 m3 bucket) class diesel hydraulic shovels. The Tanjeel pit represents solely 4% of the overall mined tonnage within the mine plan.
A mining bench peak of 15 m was chosen for the Western Porphyries pit. This bench peak is widespread for big porphyry deposit open pits utilizing extremely class mining fleet. A bench peak of 10 m was chosen for Tanjeel because of the smaller scale of the pit and to allow elevated selectivity.
Waste rock at Reko Diq will consist of fabric from the Western Porphyries and Tanjeel pits that’s uneconomic to course of. Useful resource mannequin blocks categorised as Inferred or decrease confidence have additionally been thought-about as waste rock. This rock will likely be positioned in exterior waste dumps situated to the north and south of Western Porphyries pit, to the south of Tanjeel pit and used as embankment bulk fill inside the TSF situated to the southwest of the Western Porphyries pit.
The North Waste Dump is the most important of the deliberate waste dumps by way of storage capability and peak. The ultimate dump is roughly 3.0 km lengthy by 3.0 km vast and reaches 175 m above the topographic floor. The dump will accommodate waste primarily from the H79, H15 and H14 deposits and will likely be operational for the lifetime of the challenge.
The South Waste Dump is roughly one-third the capability of the North Dump, measuring 1.5 km lengthy by 1.5 km vast, and reaches a most peak of 155 m above floor. The dump accommodates waste from the H13 and H14 deposits and commences receiving waste rock from the 2029, or three years after mining commences. The dump stays operational by means of to 2061, or when mining of the Western Porphyries pit is full.
The Tanjeel Waste Dump is situated adjoining to the Tanjeel pit and is the smallest of the waste rock dumps. The dump reaches a most peak of 90 m above floor and extends roughly 1.0 km in size by 1.0 km in width. The dump accommodates solely waste rock from the Tanjeel pit and will likely be operational for a interval of 11 years from 2037 to 2047.
The mine plan incorporates an elevated cut-off grade technique, the place increased worth ore is preferentially fed to the method plant with goal of lowering the challenge capital payback interval. Decrease worth ore is stockpiled and reclaimed later within the mine life. 4 main stockpiles have been designed to accommodate this materials close to the Western Porphyries pit and two stockpiles close to the Tanjeel pit. A waste stockpile was additionally designed for TSF embankment fill.
The stockpiles will likely be constructed from the underside up in 15 m lifts. A 20 m vast berm will likely be included each 30 m vertically. The stockpiles will likely be reclaimed from the highest down in 15 m lifts. This elevate peak is appropriate for the appliance of huge wheel loaders.
The precise mining equipment deliberate for use are additionally outlined within the technical report. The mine operations will use typical drilling, blasting, truck, and loader strategies with numerous assist ancillary gear. Gear fashions listed within the report are indicative for the needs of sizing, costing, and gear necessities – with Barrick noting that the precise fashions utilized by the challenge are nonetheless topic to remaining choice following gear procurement processes.
For the Western Porphyries pit, the highlighted main loading items will likely be electrical rope shovels (Komatsu 4100XPC – 5 in Section 1 ramping as much as eight in Section 2), and secondary loading items are hydraulic face shovels (Komatsu PC7000-11). The Tanjeel pit will solely use hydraulic face shovels (Komatsu PC7000-11). Initially there will likely be two of those shovels ramping as much as 5 in Section 2. In each pits, these shovels can be matched with Komatsu 980E-5 haul vans – initially 52 in Section 1, ramping as much as 130 in Section 2.
Ore rehandling actions utilise haul truck main manufacturing gear and Komatsu WE2350 wheeled loaders (two in Section 1 ramping as much as 4 in Section 2). Reclaiming and transport of waste rock stockpiled for TSF embankment bulk fill will likely be undertaken utilizing a separate fleet of Cat 995 wheeled loaders and Cat 789D haul vans.
Blasting patterns are designed to accommodate drilling gear with consideration to elements together with geomechanics, materials sort and/or hardness, and ore location. Blast holes are deliberate to be drilled utilizing a set drill gap diameter, Western Porphyries will use 270 mm and Tanjeel will use 251 mm. Pre-split blast holes will use 165 mm diameter holes. Blast gap depths will likely be primarily based on bench peak with appropriate subdrill. The meant drill fleet outlined consists of 9 Sandvik DR412i blasthole rigs in Section 1 ramping as much as 15 in Section 2; together with Sandvik DI650i pre-split rigs.
A full-service blasting contract is envisaged for no less than the preliminary years at Reko Diq because of the shortage of certified personnel in Pakistan. This service would come with the availability of bulk explosives and initiation programs, blasting engineering providers, priming, loading and firing blasts, and administration of explosives. A mix of emulsion and ANFO will likely be used. Acceptable powder elements will likely be used to match ore, and waste sorts primarily based on required fragmentation and different outcomes.
Ancillary actions will likely be carried out utilizing numerous gear. This gear consists of small excavators (CAT 395), tracked dozers (CAT D11), wheeled dozers (CAT 854K), motor graders (CAT 24M), water carts (CAT 789), and smaller front-end loaders.
