Feasibility Studies

Approach

SRK can provide a complete range of disciplines required to produce a feasibility study for a mining project. Prior to undertaking the feasibility study, scoping and pre-feasibility studies will have defined the project scope and direction; SRK would typically then assist with the field work, testing and laboratory programs required to gather the base data. SRK has a pool of experienced staff available to work in the field gathering data for technical studies.

The feasibility study itself would be tackled by a group of in-house consultants from the UK office, managed by an experienced professional engineer. Where necessary, specialist sub consultants would be brought in to provide input on key parts of the study. Quality is maintained through regular in-house reviews by the project director. Client liaison is of paramount importance and regular progress reports and meetings are considered to be integral parts of the study.

In Russia and CIS it is sometimes necessary to produce separate feasibility studies to satisfy both local and international requirements. In this case, SRK typically works alongside local Design Institutes to share information with joint fieldwork, laboratory and technical design programs. The result is a feasibility study from SRK suitable for international financing and a local 'Projekt' style of feasiblity study for local permitting. This approach provides access to capital markets outside of Russia and CIS and reduces the duplication of technical work.

Services

SRK can provide the following services:

• Coverage of the full range of field activities required to prepare a Feasibility Study including supervision of drilling, geological and geotechnical core logging, site investigation work, hydrogeological testing and environmental sampling programs
• Design and supervision of laboratory test work programs for determining process plant recovery and design parameters
• Project management of the study process by highly experienced staff
• Technical design work on all the disciplines required for a feasibility study in accordance with internationally accepted norms for bankable level studies
• Detailed financial modelling and analysis
• Preparation of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) in accordance with IFC Performance Standards and World Bank Guidelines
• Risk assessment and implementation planning

Experience

SRK’s recent projects include:

• Sindesar Khurd Mine, India. SRK carried out feasibility studies to expand this underground lead/ zinc mine from 300 ktpa to 2 Mtpa.
• Voskhod Chrome Project, Kazakhstan. SRK completed a bankable level Feasibility Study on this project for an underground chromite mine with associated process plant and infrastructure. The Voskhod Mine was the first mine in Kazakhstan to be accessed solely through a decline with no shaft access planned.
• Malanjkhand Copper Mine, India. SRK completed a Feasibility Study for the expansion of this open pit mine which included a detailed operational review of the current mining activities.
• Khetri Copper Complex. India. SRK carried out feasibility studies for the expansion of the existing Khetri and Kolihan mines belonging to Hindustan Copper. In addition, SRK designed the layout of the proposed Banwas Mine.
• Aguas Teñidas, Spain. SRK undertook a bankable level Feasibility Study on this project for an underground base metal mine with associated process plant and infrastructure. The project utilised paste backfill to maximise orebody recovery and reduce the tailings footprint on surface.