Golden Deeps Limited (ASX:GED) has launched a major, integrated, resource upgrade, mine development and processing study into the development of the company’s near surface, high-grade, vanadium with copper, lead, zinc and silver deposits in the Otavi Mountain Land of northern Namibia.
This two-stage, Scoping then Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) Study, will examine the viability of mining high-grade vanadium (+/- copper, lead, zinc, silver) ore from the Abenab underground resource and a maiden Nosib open-pit resource to produce high-grade gravity concentrate on site.
It is envisaged that the concentrate will be down-stream processed off-site to produce high-value vanadium products such as vanadium electrolyte for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) as well as copper, lead, zinc and silver by-products.
Bara Consulting of Johannesburg, South Africa, has been appointed to initially carry out Stage 1 of the Study. This will integrate resource estimation work being carried out by Shango Solutions, also of Johannesburg, South Africa, with available metallurgical testwork and initial mining studies (Abenab underground and Nosib open pit) to provide preliminary mining, infrastructure and processing conceptual design and (capital and operating) cost inputs for Stage 2 of the Study, the PFS.
The scope of the PFS will be subject to the outcomes generated by the Stage 1 Scoping Study. The PFS will generate a fully integrated mining plan with schedules and cost information, that will be incorporated with infrastructure and processing designs, and capital and operating cost information, to produce the PFS cashflow model.
The PFS will establish the value and viability of developing this high-grade vanadium +/- copper, lead, zinc, silver operation and immediately support a definitive feasibility study (DFS) in parallel with mining lease applications to be made over the company’s Exclusive Prospecting Licences (EPLs) in the Otavi Mountain Land of Namibia.
We are very excited to initiate this major Study into the development of an integrated mining and processing battery-metals production project in the Otavi Mountain Land of Namibia,” Golden Deeps CEO, Jon Dugdale, said.
“This Study will establish the viability of producing high-grade vanadium concentrate with copper, lead, zinc and silver, for downstream processing to produce high-value battery metals products for the rapidly growing renewable energy battery industries globally.
“We see this as just the start of our integrated development strategy, that, through establishing mining and processing operations in parallel with an aggressive exploration programme, will grow our resource base and allow us to expand production from a centralised processing operation.”