Base Metals
ACA Howe International have been involved in base metal projects in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America since the 1970’s, covering exploration, resource estimation, mining and processing. We have written approaching 200 formal reports for base metal projects, which have been utilised for project evaluation, due diligence studies and technical reporting for stock exchange listings.
Our base metal experience is complimented by our Associates who bring a wealth of expertise to our exploration, mining and metallurgical services.
Selected Base Metal Projects
- Mining study on capital expenditure required to increase production at a large open pit porphyry copper project in Romania.
- Competent Persons’ Report on nickel and gold properties in Botswana and Australia for a listing on the London Stock Exchange.
- NI 43-101 compliant technical report and resource estimate for a chromite project in Turkey.
- Geological review and resource estimate of a copper - nickel prospect in Canada.
- Metallurgical study of ore types and metallurgical testwork completed on a polymetallic project in Armenia.
- Due diligence study on a lead-zinc project in Tunisia.
- Project appraisal of tin exploration properties in Spain.
- Due diligence study on a definitive feasibility study of a copper - cobalt deposit in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Geological mapping and sampling of an iron ore prospect in Liberia.
Case Study - Copper - Lead - Zinc - Silver Exploration and Technical Reporting
In 2010, ACA Howe International commenced an ongoing association with a copper - lead - zinc - silver project in Peru, providing independent guidance to a private company. The project includes an historical underground lead - zinc - silver mining operation, in which high grade ore was extracted from a carbonate hosted vein and manto system.
Project Appraisal and Initial Technical Review
ACA Howe geologists and mining engineers completed a site visit and a technical review of the project in support of financing. This included information on geology, exploration and resource estimation.
Based on historical sampling and our client’s geological mapping, ACA Howe demonstrated through spatial analysis that branches and parallel structures were worked in addition to the principal vein.
Exploration Recommendations
ACA Howe completed satellite image interpretation of Landsat, Aster and Very High Resolution imagery, including lithostructural and alteration mapping. More than 20 targets were identified for onsite follow-up exploration, mainly categorised into four groups - argillic alteration features, circular features, shear zones and veins, and historical workings.
NI 43-101 Compliant Technical Reporting and Resource Estimation
ACA Howe finalised a NI 43-101 compliant technical report on the project in 2015, which included a CIM compliant inferred mineral resource estimate and recommendations for surface and underground diamond drilling, geological mapping, an infill MMI soil sampling programme and a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment.
Case Study - Chromite Technical Reporting
In 2014, ACA Howe were commissioned to complete a NI 43-101 compliant technical report and resource estimate on a predominantly podiform-style chromite deposit in Turkey. The project area is owned by a Turkish company and consists of an operating open pit mine with scope for expansion through exploration of the surrounding area.
Site Visit and Project Appraisal
A visit was completed by an ACA Howe Senior Geologist in order to verify sample assay grades, assess the internal resource estimate and evaluate the potential for resource expansion.
Detailed Geological Mapping
The open pit was mapped by an ACA Howe geologist in order to identify structural controls on mineralisation. The geological mapping confirmed the principal host rock as a dunite intrusion and identified folding, thrust faulting and normal faulting as being important structural controls.
Grade Control
ACA Howe worked with the client to improve grade control procedures in order to ensure that samples were representative. Sampling of mining bench faces by conventional channel or chip sampling had resulted in erratic assay grades, but this was overcome by taking large samples representative of the full 5 m height of the bench face.
NI 43-101 Compliant Technical Reporting and Resource Estimation
ACA Howe completed NI 43-101 compliant technical reporting and estimation of Indicated and Inferred chromite resources.
Metallurgical Review
Our Senior Metallurgist assessed plans for a proposed plant upgrade and made recommendations for future work to achieve this goal.
© 2017 A.C.A. Howe International Limited
