Project Status
The Company has suspended mining operations at the Mountain of Light project, pending results from testwork that will form the basis of a Feasibility Study for the Paltridge North deposit. While still producing a small amount of revenue from the ore already stacked onto leach pads, it was determined that the previous mining and production process would not be able to reach an output level that would make the project profitable in the short term. This is due to several factors, the most critical being the inability to remove clays from the ore and thus beneficiate the ore to a higher grade and improved leaching efficiencies and time to achieve acceptable recoveries of copper.
Moving forward, newly appointed General Manager James Fox has been undertaking a more detailed feasibility study to ensure that, should the decision to recommence mining occur, the Company would be confident of managing the financial risk associated and restoring value to this valuable asset. This is vitally important not only to the longevity of Phoenix Copper but also ensures that further detailed exploration on the Company's other exciting exploration projects can proceed as planned.
Current Work on the Project
As previously stated, the existing Leach Pads have continued to generate Copper at a consistent rate, beyond previous expectations, with several implemented initiatives increasing overall production.
New sprinkler-style irrigation has been installed in place of dripper irrigation on the previously un-irrigated side and end slopes of the ore, increasing the surface area under leach.
The oldest, lowest recovery Pad 2 (S) has had the top 0.5m pushed off by a dozer and the remainder ripped to a depth of 1m to expose fresh ore, this is now being wobbler irrigated with encouraging results.
Staffing expenditure levels are at a minimum to allow safe and efficient operations to continue until feasibility studies are completed, or until the operation is placed in care and maintenance.
Production for the September quarter
| Copper Cement Product Sold | ||||||
| Wet Weight | Dry Weight | Contained Cu t | %H20 | Cu% Wet | Cu% Dry | |
| Sept Qtr | 139.3 | 108.5 | 87.4 | 22.1% | 62.7% | 80.5% |
| Prev Qtr | 203.8 | 150.0 | 121.6 | 26.4% | 59.7% | 81.1% |
Test work and feasibility studies
A number of bulk surface samples were taken from the Paltridge North deposit, these were crushed and screened using on site equipment and sent to ALS/Ammtec laboratories in Adelaide for further testwork. The initial testwork program is due to be completed during the next quarter and will provide information for the continuation of the Paltridge North feasibility study.
ML5467: Rosmann East
During the period Phoenix Copper has undertaken geological mapping of the Rosmann East pit at Mountain of Light on ML5467. The mapping was completed to determine whether additional near surface copper ore existed outside the existing open pit areas.
Mineralisation has been detected, and a decision on whether this will need to be drill tested will be made as part of the ongoing Paltridge North feasibility study.
A pit floor survey has also been completed over the Rosmann East pit to allow calculation of the remaining resource in the deposit.
The block model indicates that there isremaining copper oxide along with sulphide copper mineralisation under the pit floor and in the walls. A number of drill holes in the middle of the pit end in moderate or high grade copper sulphide mineralisation and the deposit remains open to the north and west.