Chadwick 2012 g

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.


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


Isometric view of the distributionof the ore and waste on a typicalbench and how it is mined over aperiod of a week


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


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


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



Vermeer surface miners break the orein 0.625 m deep slices

http://www.eurotire.net

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

http://www.riegl.com

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



Monitoring environmental quality

Chadwick 2012 g

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Transcript of Chadwick 2012 g