Metorex ( Pty ) Ltd
Mining declared mineral resources of 20.7 million tonnes at a grade of 5.6 percent copper .
Kinsenda is situated within the drc near the border town of Kasumbalesa and was purchased by Metorex in the mid-2000s .
At the time it was taken over , it was a flooded mine , previously run by a Japanese Mining consortium and then by the Congolese government , and Metorex ultimately gained control with the intention of opening and mining it .
With the purchase came 400 employees and the challenge of dewatering the mine before any new development could take place .
“ We have dewatered the mine to 300 metres below surface and are now in the process of developing a further decline into the western ore body , which is our current focus , but over time we will move into the eastern ore body , the previous operators having mined the central areas ” said Benfield .
Employment opportunities Construction work on the project began in April 2013 and it is anticipated copper production will begin in late 2015 , with expected production levels in the order of 25,000-26,000 tonnes of copper concentrate a year .
Kinsenda will create further employment for the nearby settlements of Meleke , Twibombele and Kisenda .
The projects ’ environmental impact assessment and associated management plans
‘ We have dewatered the mine to 300 metres below surface and are now in the process of developing a further decline into the western ore body ’
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