DRA Global says it has been awarded the bankable feasibility study (BFS) contract for the Managem Group-owned Tizert copper project, in the Souss-Massa province of Morocco.

The Tizert copper deposit is located on the northern edge of Igherm Precambrian buttonhole and is the largest copper deposit in the western Anti-Atlas Copper Belt, according to DRA. The underground mine, with a targeted production of 3.3 Mt/y of ore, is expected to use multiple mining methods including room and pillar and long hole stoping.

An aerial ropeway system will be used to convey the ore from the mine site to the process plant across an 800 m wide and 250 m deep canyon. The process plant will be a flotation concentrator producing oxide and sulphide copper concentrates.

DRA’s Montreal office has been awarded the full BFS scope which will include mining, backfill, ore transport, process plant and infrastructures. The BFS is expected to be completed in the June quarter of 2020.

Pierre Julien, DRA’s Executive Vice President Americas, attributes the winning of the contact to an excellent working relationship with Managem: “The DRA team has been working closely with the Managem leadership team for almost two years, and through a dedicated and collaborative approach has built a partnership which culminated with the award of this BFS contract.”