Myanmar Metals’ Baldwin polymetallic project looks like having at least 13 years of operating life in it, according to a scoping study carried out by CSA Global.

The study, which featured the China Pit as a starter operation, outlined a 1.8 Mt/y operation producing some 1.6 Mt of lead-silver-copper concentrate and 994,000 t of zinc concentrate over the life of mine could be built for $191 million in upfront capital.

Bawdwin, on the eastern side of Myanmar, has been mined by both open pit and underground means in the past, with over 100 years of documented operations providing Myanmar Metals and CSA Global with a good understanding of the geometry and continuity of the mineralised lodes, Myanmar Metals said. The ASX-listed company has a 51% participating interest in the project held through a contractual joint venture.

John Lamb, Executive Chairman and CEO of Myanmar Metals, said: “The China pit is the opening move in bringing the Bawdwin polymetallic province back into production.”

He added that this pit is likely to be the first of least three (Shan and Meingtha being the others) on the Bawdwin concession, followed by a “long-life underground mining operation”.

Myanmar Metals has proven up a 81.8 Mt indicated and inferred resource grading 4.8% Pb, 2.4% Zn, 0.24% Cu and 119 ppm Ag at the China Pit, but only 21 Mt of mineable material has been factored into this scoping study.

The company has already started its prefeasibility study on the project, with completion set for the March quarter. Myanmar Metals anticipates carrying out a further feasibility study in late 2019.

It has already signed up the likes of Battery Limits, Coffey International, CSA Global, Titeline Drilling and Valentis Services for these studies.