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Posted by Daniel Gleeson on Dec 5th, 2022
EPC-UK says its full rock-on-ground services will soon begin work on the Hamerdon tungsten-tin deposit in Devon, England, as part of a new contract it has secured.
The company’s work will begin in 2023 and will enable the operator, Tungsten Waste Ltd, to benefit from EPC-UK’s skilled level of drilling and blasting expertise as it sustainably extracts certain critical minerals, it says.
The reopened Hamerdon mine contains the world’s third largest tungsten mineral resource with a recently released mining plan. Envisioning resumption of production in the first half of next year.
In terms of mining, Hammerden will aim to process 2.1 Mt in year one, 2.6 Mt in year two before ramping up to steady-state production of 3.5 Mt throughput in year three. This targets WO3 Tin in concentrate production of 2,200 t, 3,000 t, 3,900 t, and 320 t, 430 t and 600 t in years 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
Prior to the commencement of EPC-UK’s rock-on-ground service at the site, it has agreed to an initial investment program in the Tungsten Waste project, which has allowed us to fully understand the operational requirements and meet the project requirements, among other things. items, using the latest equipment.
This will see the company deliver new Epirock drilling rigs fitted with autosampler capabilities for drill return.
Explosives supply to the site will also benefit from the latest smart truck technology supported by EPC-UK’s full Vertex software package, which can incorporate drone collected data and GPS capabilities to refine and improve blast operations, assess against incremental design changes and subsequently optimize results. is customers, the company says.
In terms of digital services, EPC-UK plans to use its digital technologies and engineering expertise, along with subsequent blasting operations, to enable the most efficient ore extraction to achieve the most value possible, it said.
Ben Coppock, General Manager Blasting and Explosives at EPC-UK, explained: “We are looking forward to our delivery start date at Hammerdon and looking forward to realizing the results of our joint program with the customer, Tungsten West. Our business ethics, commitment to safety and skill levels are aligned and we will work successfully and sustainably to meet our mutual green goals.”
James McFarlane, managing director of Tungsten West, said: “Tungsten West has full confidence in EPC-UK as a drilling and blasting rock-on-ground provider. The preparations the team has made in advance to start the contract work are impressive and show the full focus of the clients and commitment to achieve lean operations. The reopening of Hamerdon Mine and its promise to bring back sustainable economic activity to the area is a significant development and we look forward to the results that EPC-UK and Tungsten West will deliver.
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