Orion Minerals, a JSE- and ASX-listed company, has secured two high-priority prospecting rights surrounding the Flat Mines mining area in South Africa’s Northern Cape. This development marks a significant milestone in advancing Orion’s Okiep copper project, which is central to the company’s strategic expansion plans.
The newly granted prospecting rights encompass the greater Flat Mines Area, encircling Orion’s existing mining rights. These rights are pivotal as Orion finalizes its bankable feasibility study (BFS), which includes plans for a new central concentrator plant. The newly acquired areas contain Joint Ore Reserves Committee- (JORC-) compliant mineral resources of 1.5 million tonnes at 1.3% copper. This resource has near-term potential to be integrated into the Flat Mines life-of-mine (LoM) plan.
Orion’s recent acquisition of surface rights over the newly granted areas was crucial in overcoming administrative hurdles. This breakthrough enables Orion to access highly prospective land, rich with historical drill data from previous owners, Gold Fields and Newmont. Orion plans to use this data to estimate and declare additional JORC-compliant resources.
Errol Smart, Orion’s Managing Director, expressed excitement about the progress. “Securing these prospecting rights after a three-year process is a major achievement. We can now fully explore this promising ground, where previous high-quality data suggests significant copper potential,” Smart said.
The prospecting rights also cover several advanced-stage deposits that require minimal infill drilling before resource estimation. These deposits could soon provide additional feed for Orion’s planned central concentrator at Flat Mines.
Orion’s BFS for Flat Mines is nearing completion, with plans to construct a modern concentrator plant and tailings storage facility. This new plant will replace outdated infrastructure and incorporate advanced processing technologies, including X-ray fluorescence ore sorting. These innovations are expected to expand and extend the LoM plan for Flat Mines, unlocking the potential of previously problematic deposits.
“All ore historically mined in the greater Flat Mines Area was processed at a central concentrator near our planned site,” Smart noted. “Our new plant, combined with modern technology, will enhance processing efficiency and support the expansion of our operations.”
In addition to enhancing current operations, the newly acquired prospecting rights include some of Orion’s highest-priority greenfield exploration targets. A 2021 SkyTEM heliborne electromagnetic survey identified strong conductors both within the new rights and across the boundary with Orion’s existing mining area.
Smart revealed that Orion is already mobilizing ground geophysics crews and deploying drilling rigs to test these targets. “We are eager to explore these promising areas, which were previously inaccessible,” he added.
The Flat Mines expansion and the new exploration activities position Orion Minerals at the forefront of South Africa’s copper mining resurgence. As the BFS reaches its final stages, Orion is poised to capitalize on the growing global demand for copper, driven by the energy transition and increased infrastructure development.
Source: Mining Weekly
