The scope of work included the provision of engineering services to optimise the design of a 3 Mtpa process plant and associated infrastructure. This included consideration for the later expansion to 6 Mtpa. Scope included process and engineering deliverables to support capital and operating cost estimates to -10% to +20% accuracy.
At completion of the Feasibility Study (FS), Lycopodium successfully reduced the initial capital cost from $811 million to $300 million and reduced the life-of-mine (LOM) capital cost from $1,026 million to $546 million.
Project improvements:
- Optimised mine plan to process higher-grade ore earlier in mine life
- Leased mine fleet versus owner-operated mine fleet
- Staged development
- Single-stage SAG mill in Phase 1 deferring the cost of the ball mill to Phase 2
- Small process plant footprint
- Reduced infrastructure by combining building into multiple purpose spaces.
