Excellent progress is being made on the feasibility study at Asiamet Resources’ Beruang Kanan Main (BKM) Copper Project in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The company says the study is progressing to plan with mining and geotechnical studies now under way.

This comes as the detailed resource evaluation drilling and metallurgical test work programs are well advanced. By October 12, 45 holes for 4500 metres had been completed of a planned 73-hole, 6500 metre program.

Australian Mine Design and Development Pty Ltd (AMDAD) and PT Ground Risk Management (GRM) have recently been engaged to undertake the mining engineering and geotechnical components of the feasibility study, respectively.

AMDAD has over the past 27 years completed the engineering evaluation, planning and development for many successful open pit mine developments in South East Asia similar to BKM. John Wyche, the principal leading the BKM engagement, has over 30 years of evaluation, development and operation experience in open-cut and underground mining across more than 90 projects in Australia, the South Pacific, South East Asia, China, North America, Mexico and West Africa.

AMDAD’s scope of work includes open pit optimisation, production rate assessments and development scenario analysis. These activities will support the strategic project development decisions being made by Asiamet in the coming months.

More detailed feasibility study work will build upon these studies as results from the current exploration program and metallurgical test-work become available.
With improved resource knowledge, AMDAD will execute the required work to produce feasibility level pit designs, waste rock management and dump designs, mining equipment sizing and selection, mine scheduling, and the estimation of capital and operating costs for the mine.

The geotechnical program will be led by GRM, a highly experienced consultancy that has completed over 100 geotechnical assignments across the Indonesian archipelago in the past eight years, more than 50 of which have been based in Kalimantan where the BKM copper deposit is located. Simon Ballantyne, the GRM principal leading the BKM program, is a recognised industry leader in the geotechnical field.

GRM will implement a program of data collation, detailed mapping, geotechnical logging and laboratory testing to develop a robust geotechnical database for open pit mine engineering including assessments and recommendations on waste dumps. They will also provide geotechnical input into the infrastructure location studies being conducted.

With the assistance of site surveys, this key input will allow the project team to establish an optimal site layout for the process plant and related infrastructure.
GRM are also assisting with the hydrogeological components of the feasibility study, working with company personnel and other project consultants to establish an appropriate groundwater evaluation and management program.

PT Lorax, engaged for the environmental, geoscience and hydrology aspects of the feasibility study, has recently completed field activities for the dry season flora and fauna survey and the dry season aquatic ecology study. The rock geochemical characterisation program, also being led by PT Lorax, has continued with static tests for acid rock drainage and metal leaching evaluations progressing as planned.

Asiamet’s CEO Tony Manini said, “The BKM feasibility study represents the most important pre-development de-risking phase for the project, the outcomes of which will be used by a wide range of stakeholders, including investors, financiers, government regulators and local communities, to assess the project’s technical, financial, environmental and social viability.

“In order to ensure we meet or exceed the expectations of our key stakeholder groups it is critically important that all parts of the feasibility studies are completed to high industry standards. Securing the services of such highly experienced consultants for these key areas further strengthens the first-class team we have already assembled to deliver the BKM feasibility study and we look forward to reporting results of the various programs as they become available.”