Joint venture brings copper mining back to historic Kapunda project
A new joint venture has been announced that will bring back copper mining to a historic site first discovered in 1842.
Terramin Mining, a base and precious metal development company with advanced zing and gold projects in Algeria and South Australia, has entered into a JV with Environmental Copper Recovery Pty Ltd (ECR) to explore the potential in a copper project near Kapunda, South Australia.
ECR is a team of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in mine development and operations, specifically working in partnership with Thor Mining.
The joint venture will be investigating the potential to extract through ISR the copper from shallow oxide ores in and around the historic Kapunda Mine workings. If field leaching tests are successful, then a feasibility study of the project to produce copper (and possibly gold) at low capital and operating cost will be commissioned.
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Terramin’s CEO Martin Janes, said: “We are very pleased to add this new joint venture to Terramin’s suite of advanced projects,”
“This opportunity will give Terramin the ability to focus on its flagship, Tala Hamza Zinc Project and high-grade Bird-in-Hand Gold Project whilst leveraging off its portfolio of other valuable assets.”
Kapunda Copper
The Kapunda Mine, discovered in 1842, was the first copper mine in Australia, yielding about 13,500t from 68,000t of ore. Low copper prices, the apparent depletion of easily accessible high-grade ore and excessive in‐flows of water led to the closure of the mine in 1877. Minor operations continued sporadically until 1912.
It is located on EL5626 in the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia approximately 35km north of Gawler and 80km from Port Adelaide.
A report in 1993 suggested a remaining resource (pre-JORC) of 3.7 million tonnes at 1.2% Cu for 44,400 tonnes of contained copper within the main pit, with potential for further discoveries along strike.
