Upload
mushava
View
1
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Chadwick
Citation preview
Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) has
invested more than $2 billion in its copper
and cobalt operations in the DRC’s
Katanga province. It was a long time coming,
almost 100 years. Drilling on the Tenke
Fungurume deposits goes back as far as 1919.
Back in the 1970s when a consortium – Soc
Minière de Tenke Fungurume (SMTF) – led by
Anglo American’s Charter Consolidated started
developing the project (only to abandon it in
1976 due to perceived political risk at the time)
Harry Oppenheimer described it as the best,
known, undeveloped copper project in the world
(IM, December 2006, pp28-33). Between 1971
and 1976 SMTF spent $280 million on
exploration, various studies, equipment and site
infrastructure.
It was always destined to be a truly great
mine and today TFM’s (partnership between
Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold [FCX],
Lundin Mining and Gecamines) concessions
encompass over 1,500 km2 located some 175 km
northwest of Lubumbashi and remain
extensively under-explored. The deposits are
made up of oxide, mixed oxide/sulphide and
sulphide zones.
Production of copper cathode commenced in
the first quarter of 2009. Phase 1 name-plate
capacity at this time was 115,000 t/y of copper
cathode and 8,000 t/y of cobalt in hydroxide
form. However, debottlenecking, plant upgrades
and an increased mining fleet has allowed
production to increase to 10,000 t/d of process
plant throughput for the production of 130,000
t/y copper cathode and some 10,000 t/y cobalt
hydroxide.
TFM started mining at the Kwatebala deposit
and subsequently completed plans for project
activities at Tenke and Fwaulu orebodies,
development of an on/off heap leach test
facility, expansion of stockpile facilities at
Kwatebala, and an expansion of the plant
facility. Together, these projects are referred to
as the Tenke Fungurume Phase 2 Expansion. The
Mwadinkomba, Kansalawile, Fungurume,
Mambilima and Pumpi deposits are also
included in the 29 year mine plan.
The Phase 2 Expansion is expected to
increase copper production by approximately
50% to 195,000 t of copper cathode and 15,000 t
of cobalt in hydroxide, targeted for completion
in 2013. The approximately $850 million
expansion includes additional mining
equipment, mill upgrades, acid plant expansion
and a doubling of existing tankhouse capacity
that will result in excess SX-EW capacity of
copper cathode production. This excess capacity
is a cost effective addition to the Phase 2 project
that will be used as Tenke Fungurume continues
to expand in the future through potential heap
leaching of low grade ore combined with future
mixed/sulphide ore expansions, which are
currently being advanced with metallurgical test
work and conceptual level studies.
The Phase 2 mine plan contemplates average
feed grades of about 4.0 % total Cu and 0.40 %
total Co and average recoveries of 89% copper
and 74% cobalt over the next five years. The
strip ratio in the open pits over this period is
approximately 3.3:1. Test scale on/off heap
leach test pads are in operation at site to
evaluate the potential of commencing heap
leaching of the low grade material, which is
currently being mined and stockpiled.
Expansion feasibility studyHatch was responsible for completing the
feasibility study for the expansion; coordinating
and integrating the input from others into a
single, comprehensive document. Hatch’s role
primarily consisted of process and discipline
engineering required for the expansion of the
process plant and infrastructure. Hatch also
worked with TFM/FCX to develop the project
implementation plan and schedule.
AMEC’s responsibilities were concentrated on
the life of mine (LOM) tailings and Return Water
Pond (RWP) planning.
Hydrogeologica provided water management
technical support and LOM water balance
modelling.
Jacobs completed feasibility engineering of
the SO2 plant upgrades including two new 60
t/d trains.
TFM/FCX undertook environmental permitting
and licensing, the mine plan, the mine capital,
operating and sustaining capital cost estimates,
operational logistics, the infrastructure cost
estimate, the Owner’s cost estimate, input to the
project implementation plan, the copper and
cobalt marketing study and developing the
financial model. The total capital expenditure
required to provide the incremental capacity is
$850 million.
Key Phase 2 Expansion scope/budget items
include:
■ Expansion of the mine equipment fleet to
increase material moved from 23 to 54 Mt/y
■ The installation of a new jaw crusher and a
SAG mill pebble crusher to the grinding
circuit and, potentially, the addition of a ball
mill at a later date
■ Upgrades and reconfiguration throughout the
leach, CCD and copper and cobalt purification
plants to pumps, piping, thickeners and
clarifiers to cater for the increased flows.
■ The completion of four new mixer settlers in
the Solvent Extraction (SX) section of the
process plant
■ A 100% expansion of the existing Electro-
Winning (EW) tankhouse with 280 new cells,
two high speed stripping machines and two
new cranes
■ An additional sulphuric acid storage tank and
additional acid capacity
■ Two additional 60 t/d burners in the SO2
plant.
The detailed Technical Report Tenke
Fungurume Phase 2 Expansion, dated December
15, 2011 can be found on SEDAR.
Currently, there is a plant site at Kwatebala,
along with stockpile facilities and a tailings
storage facility (TSF). Mining started at Fwaulu
in 2011 and should start at Tenke this year.
Besides the Tenke and Fwaulu mines, the
expansion includes the provision of:
■ Stockpile facilities to the north and south of
Tenke orebody
■ An on/off heap leach test facility and heap
leach waste facility to the east of Tenke
orebody
■ A new stockpile facility south of Kwatebala,
and an expanded stockpile facility north of it
Tenke Fungurume
John Chadwick describes one of the world’sgreat new copper/cobalt operations, which
is now expanding into its Phase 2operations for 195,000 t/y of copper
cathode and 15,000 t/y of cobalt
MARCH 2012 | International Mining 25
GREAT MINES – Democratic Republic of Congo
Single-stage FL SmidthMinerals SAG mill (6.7 mdiameter x 7.925 m in length)
■ Storm water ponds downstream of project
areas at Tenke, Fwaulu and Kwatebala mining
areas.
Currently there is a 24 ft diameter SAG mill on
site. Ground ore slurry is fed to agitated leach
tanks. A thickener and CCD (Counter Current
Decantation) recover dissolved Cu and Co and
the slurry is sent to PLS ponds.
The Kwatebala Plant Expansion Project
includes expansion of applicable plant
components to allow for an average processing
rate of around 14,000 t/d of ore. There are two
additional sulphur dioxide units rated at 60 t/d
capacity each and a new sulphuric acid plant
with one new sulphuric acid storage tank.
Massive reservesThe Tenke-Fungurume deposits are sedimentary
copper deposits located in the Lufilian Arc, an
800 km fold belt formed between the Angolan
Plate to the southeast and Congo Plate to the
northwest. The Central African Copperbelt lies
within the Arc and contains the world’s largest,
known resource of cobalt and is one of the most
significant copper-bearing regions of the world.
Tenke-Fungurume copper mineralisation is
stratabound and generally restricted to two
horizons with an intervening unit that is more
sporadically mineralised. The upper mineralised
stratigraphic unit is identified as SDB (Schistes
Dolomitiques de Base-dolomitic shale), the
middle, intervening unit RSC (Roches Siliceuses
Cellulaires-silicified dolomite) and the lower unit
RSF (Roches Siliceuses Feuilletees-laminated
dolomitic shale). The mineralised units are
between 5 and 15 m thick and the intervening
RSC is typically 20 m. Copper mineralisation is
known to continue into the RAT (Roches Argilo-
Talcueses) below the RSF and into the RSC from
the SDB above and RSF below. The RSC has
potential to produce cobalt ore. Oxidation has
resulted in widespread alteration producing
malachite, pseudomalachite, chrysocolla and
heterogenite. Metamorphism is variable through
the Arc, being highest grade in Zambia, and
lower in the DRC with perhaps some very low-
grade metamorphism indicated by the presence
of talc.
2010 open-pit mineral reserves estimated for
Tenke Fungurume are reported based upon
break-even net ore value using variable recovery
and operating costs that reflect variable gangue
acid consumption and acid soluble grades. The
2010 mineral reserves are based on pit limits
defined in the current mine plan, use a cut off
grade of 0.99% Cu equivalent and a Co to Cu
equivalency factor of 4.0.
Surface miners for selectivityKwatebala was the largest of the three deposits
in the Phase 1 mine plan, with 65 Mt of ore.
Mining of this deposit began in the fourth
quarter of 2007. The primary open-pit mine
equipment includes Vermeer surface miners
and Caterpillar wheel loaders and haul trucks.
The mining rate approximates to 72,000 t/d.
The life-of-mine strip ratio at Kwatebala is 2 to 1.
GREAT MINES – Democratic Republic of Congo
26 International Mining | MARCH 2012
Ore Cu% Co%
Kwatebala
Proven 23,620,770 2.65% 0.35%
Probable 9,600,142 2.46% 0.35%
Sub-total 33,220,911 2.60% 0.35%
Tenke
Proven 13,642,508 3.30% 0.31%
Probable 16,957,780 2.53% 0.40%
Sub-total 30,600,288 2.88% 0.36%
Fwaulu
Proven 1,513,486 3.77% 0.23%
Probable 7,330,022 2.54% 0.26%
Sub-total 8,843,508 2.75% 0.26%
Mwadinkomba
Proven 45,845 2.23% 0.22%
Probable 6,075,635 3.62% 0.20%
Sub-total 6,121,481 3.61% 0.20%
Kansalawile
Proven 766,094 3.43% 0.13%
Probable 6,089,588 3.21% 0.15%
Sub-total 6,855,681 3.23% 0.15%
Mambalima
Proven 681,849 2.95% 0.23%
Probable 15,783,391 3.34% 0.15%
Sub-total 16,465,239 3.33% 0.15%
Fungurume
Proven 12,506,870 4.35% 0.44%
Probable 4,979,948 3.31% 0.39%
Sub-total 17,486,818 4.05% 0.42%
Pumpi North & East
Proven 89,964 3.68% 0.19%
Probable 7,624,257 3.17% 0.16%
Sub-total 7,714,221 3.17% 0.16%
Fungurume VI
Proven 821,936 2.84% 0.47%
Probable 5,155,195 2.55% 0.39%
Sub-total 5,977,132 2.59% 0.40%
Kazinyanga
Proven 103,923 1.74% 0.43%
Probable 1,867,066 1.45% 0.37%
Sub-total 1,970,989 1.47% 0.37%
Kato L3K
Proven 32,929 1.77% 0.28%
Probable 4,353,607 1.73% 0.60%
Sub-total 4,386,536 1.73% 0.60%
Shinkusu
Proven 315,465 3.02% 0.66%
Probable 1,221,246 2.84% 0.56%
Sub-total 1,536,712 2.88% 0.58%
Summary
Proven 54,141,640 3.26% 0.36%
Probable 87,037,876 2.84% 0.30%
Subtotal 141,179,516 3.00% 0.32%
WIP 14,480,000 1.10% 0.40%
TOTAL 155,659,516 2.82% 0.33%
Tenke Fungurume mineral reserves
Because of the nature of the orebody, surface
miners were chosen to allow selective mining of
the high-grade ore. Selective mining of the high
grade ore is a key to the operation’s success.
Ore grades can vary significantly, so the higher
grade ore is hauled to the processing plant and
lower-grade ore is stockpiled for future
processing.
The importance of keeping dilution and
losses of mineralised material to a minimum is
heightened here because processing costs and
relative strip ratios are high and so are ore
values. The mineralised zones are long and
narrow, typically 10 to 15 m wide, faulted and
folded. Mining operations also have to be
planned to account for areas where copper and
cobalt have an inversely proportional
relationship. Contacts between ore and waste
are usually relatively sharp. Mining blocks are 5
m x 2.5 m x 2.5 m.
The Kwatebala pit has been designed to
include five development phases. It is to be
some 2,350 m long and 950 m wide at
completion. Haulage roads exit on the north
side of the pit towards the ore and waste
stockpiles.
Waste mining takes place on 5 m benches
using Caterpillar 992 12.2 m3 and 988 6.3 m3
wheel loaders and Caterpillar 777 90 t and 772
45 t trucks. Waste is drilled and blasted. Ore is
identified and then broken on 0.625 m deep
slices using the Vermeer surface miners. The
broken ore is excavated using wheel loaders and
loaded into 45 t trucks. The average daily mining
rate during continuous operations is 72,000 t/d
(10,000 t ore, 6,000 t low-grade ore and 56,000 t
waste).
In order to increase productivity and reduce
mining costs, the expansion mine plan will
integrate larger shovels into the existing fleet.
This expansion fleet of Caterpillar RH120E and
RH90C hydraulic shovels will work with the 777
haul trucks and will also mine waste in 10-m
benches. The smaller capacity waste mining
fleet will be phased out as replacements
become necessary during the mine life.
The mining sequence begins by identifying
ore and waste. A 100-mm wide cut is made
across the strike of the ore zones with a Vermeer
rock saw. The trench cuttings are sampled in
2.5m intervals between rock units. Samples are
sent to the laboratory where total and acid
soluble grades and gangue acid consumption
are determined. The assays from the lab are
used to develop an ore control model from
which the ore zones can be designed. Surveyors
stake the outlines of the ore zones in the field
after the surface miner has fragmented the rock.
Material types and destinations are controlled
by ProVision, a routine which functions inside
the mine’s Modular Mining Dispatch system.
ProVision machine guidance solutions use
augmented GPS to provide continuous
navigation and guidance to equipment
operators, facilitating the achievement of
planned targets and tasks. Realtime data
exchange reduces re-handle, misdirected loads,
and manual survey.
Ore polygons (ore types and grades), are
uploaded into ProVision following determination
by the engineers and geologists. A screen in the
loader operator’s cab shows him the polygons in
the area in which he is digging via the high-
precision GPS set to the location of his bucket.
As operators get ready to load a new truck,
they key in the polygon where they will be
digging and ProVision either accepts or rejects
the designation based on where it ‘sees’ the
bucket location. When the truck is loaded, the
loader operator releases it and sends a signal to
Dispatch that the truck is loaded.
ProVision then sends a signal to the truck
screen which tells the operator what is being
carried and where to take it.
Dispatch then knows where the truck should
be going and which beacons it should pass. If
the truck strays off route and passes a beacon it
is not supposed to pass, Dispatch will send a
signal to the truck operator and the Dispatch
operator that it is off-route and a correction is
made.
The current owner operated mining fleet
includes 11 Cat 988 wheel loaders, two Cat
992s, one CAT RH90 excavator, 28 45-t capacity
Cat 772 haul trucks, six 90-t capacity 777 haul
trucks, two 2 Cat 772 water trucks, three
Vermeer surface miners, four 4.3 m graders,
nine D8 dozers, two D10 dozers, one 824 wheel
dozer, five production drills and two Vermeer
rock saws for sampling.
The surface miners cut the ore zones first.
High-grade ore is delivered to stockpiles near
the mill feed chute were a two-month stockpile
is maintained. Wheel loaders provide an
optimised blend to the mill. The Vermeer miners
are used to fragment ore and some waste.
Careful planning is essential at the interface of
the 5 m waste bench mining and the 0.625-m
ore cuts to minimise issues with access and
interference from blasting in the waste.
The mine has found that surface miners can
be at least four times as selective in rock
fragmentation compared with drilling and
28 International Mining | MARCH 2012
Isometric view of the distributionof the ore and waste on a typicalbench and how it is mined over aperiod of a week
GREAT MINES – Democratic Republic of Congo
blasting. They avoid the mixing and
displacement issues inherent in blasting and
eliminate the need for a crusher. Based upon
operational experience to-date the current
expectation is that the surface miners will produce,
on average, 650 t/h with an overall availability
of 70% and utilisation is 70% for a combined
overall asset efficiency of 70% x 70% = 49%.
Waste mining generally follows ore removal.
Blastholes (127-mm diameter) are drilled 6 m
deep on a 5 m by 5 m pattern or 11 m deep on a
6 m by 6 m pattern. The mixed drill fleet of top
hammer hydraulic drills on crawler carriers
includes five Atlas ROCL8’s and 2 Sandvik
DP1500 drills. They are capable of angle drilling
to the horizontal at penetration rates up to an
average 52 m/h in the rocks found at site.
AEL, African Explosives Ltd, as contractor
primes and loads the holes for blasting with
emulsion as the primary explosive agent. The
original waste fleet of 988 wheel loaders and
772 haul trucks (loading in five passes) was
supplemented with the larger 992s and 777 haul
trucks to increase waste stripping rates.
The Phase 2 Expansion case mine schedule
will supply the mill with an ore grade of 3.94%
ASCu at 14,000 t/d. Mill construction and
commissioning are scheduled in two stages:
installation to increase the capacity from 10,000
to 12,000 t/d to be completed by the end of this
year and the final installation to provide an
increase from 12,000 to 14,000 t/d by the end of
the first quarter 2013. Not accounting for
additional high grade discovery, nor further
debottlenecking and expansion, the mine plan
recoverable metal delivery target of 195,000 t/y
of copper will be achieved for seven years,
decreasing gradually in the following 20 years to
an average of 83,000 t/y of copper. The cobalt
production for the 29 years averages 11,800 t/y.
The maximum overall mining rate will be 55
Mt/y.
Expanded processingplantThe expanded Phase 2
processing plant will be
capable of processing at
least 14,000 t/d (dry) of ore
to produce at least 195,000
t/y of copper cathode and
an average of 15,000 t/y of
cobalt contained in cobalt
hydroxide.
Run-of-mine (ROM) ore is
delivered by haul truck to
the ROM pad. Wheel
loaders feed a blend of ore
to a mobile jaw crusher and the suitably sized
ore is conveyed to a single stage FL Schmitt
Minerals SAG mill (6.7 m diameter x 7.925 m in
length). The SAG mill operates in closed circuit
with a cluster of Krebs GMAX 33-20-3225
hydrocyclones and a Cedar Rapids RC 45III
pebble crusher to achieve the desired grind size.
The ground slurry is thickened, pumped to
the first of five leach tanks and mixed with
sulphur dioxide (SO2), sulphuric acid (H2SO4)
and raffinate to achieve a leach feed pulp.
Copper and cobalt leach extractions are
achieved in the leach operation. The leached
slurry is thickened and the overflow is clarified
and pumped to the high-grade (HG) pregnant
leach solution (PLS) pond. After cooling the HG
PLS is clarified to remove colloidal silica and
suspended solids and then reports to the HG SX
circuit.
Thickener underflow is pumped to the
counter current-decantation (CCD) circuit to
recover dissolved copper and cobalt values from
the leached solids. CCD 1 overflow is clarified
and pumped to the low-grade (LG) PLS pond.
The washed solids from CCD 5 are pumped to
the neutralisation circuit. CCD 5 underflow,
excess CCD wash solution and Fe/Al/Mn (FAM)
residue slurry streams are neutralised using
hydrated lime. Hydrated lime is added to
precipitate magnesium and trace heavy metals.
The final neutralised slurry is pumped to the
polyethylene-lined TSF.
The SX facility is being expanded to include
an additional four mixer settlers. The mixers are
supplied by Mixtec and the reverse flow settlers
are similar to the originally installed settlers
designed by the EPCM company for FCX and
constructed by Styria. The new configuration will
be 2E(HG)-2E(LG)-2S-2E(HG)-2S. The expanded
circuit will consist of ten mixer settlers. The HG
circuit has four extraction stages, the LG circuit
has two extraction stages and the common
organic stream is stripped in four stages. The
circuit is configured to run in either a common
organic loop or as a separate organic loop with
2E-2E-2S configuration of the existing circuit
and 2E-2S for the expansion circuit.
Copper is extracted from the PLS solution
using an organic extractant. The copper is
subsequently stripped from the organic phase to
produce strong electrolyte. The strong
electrolyte is filtered to remove any entrained
organic, prior to reporting to the EW tankhouse.
The HG raffinate, electrolyte bleed and
electrolyte filter backwash solutions are
combined in the HG raffinate pond and are
predominantly returned to the leach circuit to
reduce fresh H2SO4 consumption and to
achieve the desired pulp density. Excess HG
30 International Mining | MARCH 2012
Equipment Maximum Average operating Scheduled
fleet size hours/y replacement (hours)
CAT 772 truck 29 5,600 60,000
CAT 777 truck 33 5,600 60,000
Mercedes 50-t truck 8 5,600 60,000
Grizzly feeder 5 5,600 N/A
CAT 988 loader 11 5,600 35,000
CAT 992 loader 3 5,270 35,000
RH120 shovel 3 5,600 35,000
RH90C shovel 1 5,600 35,000
T1255 Surface Miner 5 4,030 20,000
ROC L8 drill 4 5,600 30,000
DM45 drill 5 5,600 33,075
CAT D8R track dozer 8 4,710 30,000
CAT D10N track dozer 6 4,720 35,000
CAT 824G RT dozer 5 4,720 35,000
Vermeer rock saw 4 2,550 20,000
CAT 14M grader 3 4,710 45,000
CAT 16M grader 5 4,710 45,000
CAT 345 excavator 2 4,730 35,000
Expansion Plan Major Equipment and Operational Parameters
Vermeer rock saw makes a 100-mm wide cutacross the strike of the ore zones. The trenchcuttings are sampled and analysed todetermine copper and cobalt grades
GREAT MINES – Democratic Republic of Congo
raffinate, is pumped to the LG raffinate pond.
LG raffinate is pumped to the cobalt circuit
where iron, aluminium and manganese (FAM
circuit) are precipitated using ground limestone
mined by TFM at a nearby quarry. Milk of lime is
added to the solution from the FAM circuit to
precipitate the remaining soluble copper.
Sulphur dioxide and air are sparged into the
agitated tanks to promote the precipitation of
any remaining manganese. The slurry is
thickened and the solids are returned to the
leaching circuit for recovery of the precipitated
copper.
Milk of magnesia is added to the solution
from the copper precipitation circuit to produce
cobalt hydroxide. Two stages of precipitation are
used to improve the purity of the hydroxide
precipitate and consequently reduce the
consumption of magnesia. Magnesia is added in
the first stage of precipitation and milk of lime is
added in the second stage. Thickened underflow
solids from the second stage recycle back to the
FAM circuit. Thickened cobalt hydroxide is
filtered and bagged as a wet product or flash
dried and bagged as a dry product for export.
The cobalt-free solution is predominantly used
as CCD wash solution, with the excess reporting
to the neutralisation circuit.
Sulphuric acid for use in the leach circuit is
produced by burning sulphur. Waste heat from
the acid plant is used for raising steam and is
supplemented with steam produced from
electric boilers, for various heating duties
throughout the plant. The original acid plant had
a design capacity of 600 t/d, however the plant
is currently operating at an average production
exceeding 700 t/d.
Huge future potentialDuring 2009 and 2010, TFM drilled about
50,000 and 40,000 metres of diamond drill core
respectively. More than 600 holes were drilled
during this time, with typically eight or more
diamond drill rigs and one reverse circulation
rig employed. This allowed Mineral Reserves to
be estimated for the first time at Fungurume,
Mambilima and Pumpi. In addition, drilling was
completed on other orebodies including further
deposit at Fungurume, Shinkusu, Kazinyanga,
Mudilandima, Kakalwe, Kamakoka, Katuto and
Leta. Resource modelling of some of these
orebodies is underway and they are likely to
provide upside to the overall mineral resources
and ultimately reserves on the concession.
In 2011, exploration targeted the replacement
of the mineralisation depleted, further increases
in oxide resources and ongoing investigation of
deeper sulphide resources. A further 50,000 m
of drilling was planned including infill and
32 International Mining | MARCH 2012
GREAT MINES – Democratic Republic of Congo
Vermeer surface miners break the orein 0.625 m deep slices
deeper drilling on the known orebodies of Tenke, Fwaulu and Fungurume
together with greenfield target drilling on the Zikule, Zakeo and Lutanda
outcrops.
Despite all the exploration and drilling of the last few years, there
remain large parts of the Tenke Fungurume concession that remain
prospective and unexplored. The annual budget for 2011 was $37.5 million
for exploration and $4 million for infill drilling. A similar amount will be
spent this year.
The expansion feasibility study notes the expectation ongoing
exploration “will increase the oxide resources, plus upgrade the confidence
of known resources. In addition, mixed and sulphide resources will
continue to be added. Metallurgical test work and flowsheet development
continue in support of developing additional resources and reserves for
processing of low grade, plus mixed and sulphide resources through
significant additional expansions in the future.”
Sustainable Katangan development
This huge mining project is the largest private foreign investment in the
DRC, providing thousands of jobs, supporting social development and
creating economic opportunities across the region and the nation. Some
98% of direct TFM operational employees are DRC citizens. The town of
Fungurume is one of the fastest-growing population centres in Katanga
province. This growth brings additional employment and economic
opportunity.
TFM is actively working with the provincial government, consultants and
the private sector to help the local towns of Fungurume, Tenke and other
communities in the area grow in an organised and healthy way.
TFM’s direct contributions through the payment of taxes and other fees
from the project inception in 2006 through 2011 were more than $516
million. TFM considers investments in social and community development
to be a priority. During the same period, it made social investments of $45
million to support sustainable community development initiatives.
Additionally, TFM contributes 0.3% of net metal sales revenue to the TFM
Social Community Fund, and since the commencement of commercial
production, these contributions have totalled more than $7.5 million. The
TFM Social Community Fund aims to improve quality of life for residents by
investing in sustainable community development projects supporting
infrastructure and relevant services including health, education and
agriculture. The Fund is a Congolese non-governmental organization,
governed by a Board of Directors consisting of a representative appointed
Solution from the copper precipitation circuit is treated to produce cobalthydroxide
GREAT MINES
MARCH 2012 | International Mining 33
by the provincial government, two
representatives nominated by the local
community and four TFM representatives. A
Stakeholder Forum consisting of community
leaders and representatives advises the Board
on community priorities and project funding
decisions.
Due to a shortage of skilled workers in the
area, a massive training and development
program is readying people from the local
communities for future work opportunities.
Hundreds of individuals are enrolled in
company-provided training programs. TFM says
it considers its investments in local education
“as one of the most important components of
[its] sustainable development program.”
The company has constructed six new
elementary schools. Construction and
renovation of three high schools were
completed in Fungurume last year and
construction is underway on a fourth in Tenke.
Schools are managed in partnership with the
government and local education providers. The
new schools (existing and planned) will provide
educational opportunities for an additional
7,000 students. Other initiatives include
scholarship programs, university partnerships
and internships.
Working with government health agencies,
international expert organisations and the
mine’s neighbours to build healthy communities
is at the root of TFM’s sustainable development
program.
The results of the highly successful
Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) include not only
improved housing, but access to clean water,
health centres and schools, and provide a
significant improvement in the quality of life
and, TFM says, “set a new standard for
resettlement projects in the region.” The
program is also committed to livelihood
restoration for any household that was
economically displaced, including provision of
replacement farmland, material and technical
assistance support, and training to provide new
and improved skills development.
Agricultural support programs promote new
small business start-ups and enhancing food
security in the region. Training is provided for
farmers and along with seed and fertiliser
initiatives has provided a tripling of crop yields.
A number of farmers have become suppliers of
fruit and vegetables to TFM.
TFM supports small and medium enterprises
(SMEs) via access to credit and technical
support and training. These SMEs in turn
generate local employment.
A second RAP is underway to support families
being moved because of the mine expansion.
More farmland is being acquired by the
operation, and in order to mitigate impacts,
improved seeds and fertiliser will be provided
for three years to help restore livelihoods to
previous levels or better. Other alternatives also
will be explored to support future economic
opportunities in the area. As conducted with the
first RAP, TFM will monitor the income levels of
project-affected people to measure the
effectiveness of livelihood restoration activities.
TFM also conducts internal and external
monitoring of the Resettlement Action Plan
implementation, including an annual third-party
audit.
TFM has constructed dozens of clean water
wells in villages in and around its concession,
and provided access to clean water in urban
areas. Significant resources are dedicated to
reducing public health risks in the area. After a
major cholera epidemic during the 2008-2009
rainy season, TFM, in collaboration with the
local Heath Zone, installed tanks of potable
water throughout the town of Fungurume and in
outlying communities. This brought a dramatic
reduction in cholera and other waterborne
diseases with no cholera cases reported in the
area during the past two rainy seasons. TFM has
since installed a new clean water distribution
system with community taps in Fungurume.
In establishing the Phase 1 operations, TFM
and a local NGO constructed latrines, hand
washing facilities and waste disposal areas to
benefit over 2,000 households. This program
received recognition from UNICEF and the
Katanga Government for a ‘Clean Community’
declaration for Fungurume.
TFM has refurbished medical clinics in
Fungurume and Tenke and supports a mobile
health clinic that serves outlying communities in
the region.
An integrated malaria control program in the
project area is reducing malaria infection among
the workforce and the communities. Along with
indoor residual insecticide spraying of dwellings
to control mosquito malaria vectors, the
program has also included monitoring and
treatment of mosquito breeding sites, distribution
of insecticide-treated bed nets, and awareness
and education on malaria prevention measures.
Malaria prevalence surveys among local
school children are conducted twice a year to
quantify the effectiveness of the intervention
measures. The average prevalence rate of 31%
from the May 2010 school survey indicated a
decrease of 9% in malaria prevalence compared
to the previous year and a 60% decrease
compared to the baseline (pre-control) survey
conducted in 2007.
TFM also provides support for employees and
their families through a robust HIV/AIDS
prevention, counselling and treatment program.
TFM often supports major health initiatives
across the region, including a recent vaccination
program in coordination with the Health Zone
and international health groups to address a
measles epidemic in the region.
In addition to construction of infrastructure
for its operations and numerous community
facilities in its mining concession, TFM has
invested in major infrastructure improvement
projects that will bring benefits at the provincial
and national level. For example it is investing
over $200 million in refurbishing the N’Seke
Hydro-Power Station, an improvement with far-
reaching regional impact. TFM directly funded
repair and refurbishment of the National
Highway between the towns of Likasi and
Fungurume.
TFM’s environmental management program is
based on its objectives to “minimise and
mitigate environmental impacts and to preserve
and enhance biodiversity in the areas where we
operate.” TFM implements data-driven risk
management strategies in conformance with
international best practice, and reports its
performance against Global Reporting Initiative
indicators.
Among TFM’s environmental commitments
was the installation of a permanent synthetic
liner beneath the TSF to prevent any impacts to
groundwater. This investment was the first of its
kind at a base metal mining facility on the
African continent.
TFM is implementing a plan to salvage and
transplant endemic flora species from the
primary orebody to conservation areas,
engineered ecosystems or to seed banks
located in the DRC and internationally. This plan
is being implemented with leading scientists
from Gembloux University in Belgium and
faculty of the University of Lubumbashi. IM
34 International Mining | MARCH 2012
GREAT MINES – Democratic Republic of Congo
Monitoring environmental quality