MDM is awarded bankable study in Botswana

MDM Engineering Group has been awarded the bankable feasibility study by Global Initiatives for BCL’s dumps tailings retreatment project in Botswana.

The study’s scope of work includes the construction of a flotation concentrator plant within defined battery limits and its supporting plant infrastructure. Surface infrastructure will include the temporary construction services; topsoil stockpiles; inplant roads; stormwater, plant and potable water, sewerage and power reticulation; process and other plant buildings; reagent receipt, storage and distribution, security and fencing for the concentrator plant site, excluding those infrastructure aspects included in the other project areas.

Global Initiatives has acquired the rights to the dumps tailings retreatment project and, together with BCL, has entered into a public-private partnership for this project. They propose retreating existing tailings and smelter slag at BCL’s operations at Selebi Phikwe to recover significant nickel, in addition to copper and cobalt from these dumps. It is intended that the study, scheduled for completion June 2012, will be used as the basis for an investment decision by the partners.

George Bennett, executive director of MDM, said: “It gives the board great satisfaction to announce another contract win, in what has been strong period for MDM’s pipeline progression, and our team is delighted to be working in Botswana again with Global Initiatives, on the BCL tailings project.

“The MDM team’s extensive copper, cobalt and nickel experience, coupled with its extensive tailings project experience, will be of great value to this project. We look forward to a strong working relationship as we undertake this project with all the partners.”

Atang Makgekgenene, global initiatives executive director, added: “The initial scoping study showed a measured resource of 178 000t of nickel in the tailings dump. Global Initiatives believes this resource can be brought to account and further add significantly to the life of the Selebi Phikwe mine complex. It is significant that a company such as MDM will be completing the feasibility study for this project and we believe their involvement will aid in bringing this project into production for the benefit of Global Initiatives shareholders, Selebi Phikwe and Botswana.”