Munali Nickel Project Zambia, East Africa

Location
60km S Lusaka, Zambia

Nearest Town
Lusaka

Client
Albidon Ltd

Commodity
Nickel, copper, cobalt, platinum group metals

Contract Duration
2007 - 2012

Scope
Mechanised Lateral Development and Production Activities, Fleet Maintenance and Workforce Training

The Munali project sits about 60km south of Lusaka in southern Zambia. Although billed as a nickel project, Munali also contains commercial quantities of copper, cobalt and platinum group metals (PGMs). Development began in September 2006 following a positive feasibility study and after the necessary government permits and approvals were received.

Production of ore for the 10-year project started in March 2008, with first concentrate being processed for stockpiling in late June 2008.

Byrnecut was contracted at the project to undertake the mechanised development and production activities, plus fleet maintenance and workforce training.

Poor market conditions saw the suspension of operations in 2009. However, Byrnecut continued to stay involved with the project and was instrumental in the re-start of operations in 2010.

Using longhole open stoping methods, the project extracted 900,000 tonnes of ore per year.

Byrnecut’s experience and commitment to safety and training saw the development of local mining skills exceed expectation – to the extent that Byrnecut now confidently employs skilled and semi-skilled Zambian people for other contracts around the world, including in Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Mali.