Elementos Ltd (ASX:ELT) has updated the overall JORC resource estimate for its Cleveland tin-copper and tungsten project in Tasmania.
The revised JORC hard rock combined open pit and underground resource is now at 7.47 million tonnes grading at 0.75% tin and 0.3% copper and containing 56,100 tonnes of tin and 22,200 tonnes of copper.
Open pit optimisation studies
Elementos chief executive officer Chris Creagh said the definition of a larger open pit tin and copper resource at Cleveland was a positive outcome from the exploration drilling completed in the second quarter of 2018.
Creagh said: “Open pit mining optimisation studies will commence as soon as possible.
“[These will] determine what is expected to be a significantly positive impact on the development potential of a combined open pit mining and tailings retreatment project and underground mining redevelopment of Cleveland.”
Mineralisation remains open
Contained tin content for Cleveland’s open pit resource has increased by 168% from the 2015 estimate, and contained copper by 164%, resulting in 6,426 tonnes of tin and 17,955 tonnes of copper.
The upgrade resulted from: modelling near surface ore lenses that were not included in the previous estimate; increased resources resulting from the recent drilling program; and reducing the dilution along the ore lenses.
Cleveland’s ore body remains open at depth, along strike and down-dip from the currently defined ore lenses.
Refurbishment of historical mine
Cleveland’s open put resource potential has been assessed to a depth of 150 metres from surface.
Pit boundaries are positioned with no impact on existing natural water courses and minimal interference with any future underground redevelopment.
Cleveland operated as an underground mine between 1908-1917 and more recently between 1968-1986.
A total of 23,519 tonnes of tin and 9,691 tonnes of copper were mined before closure and the historical workings extend more than 400 metres below surface.
Elementos plans to produce tin and copper concentrates in an initial combined open pit mining and tailings retreatment operation before refurbishing and developing the underground mine to produce tin, copper and tungsten concentrates.