Tag Archives: Pumpkin Hollow

Nevada Copper drafts in Dumas Mining as part of Pumpkin Hollow restart plan

Nevada Copper, in providing an update on restart and operational activities for its Pumpkin Hollow underground copper mine in Nevada, USA, has confirmed the appointment of Dumas Mining as its Capital Projects Construction contractor.

The company is currently targeting a mill restart in the September quarter with a quick ramp up to nameplate capacity by the end of 2023.

Back in June 2022, an unidentified weak rock structure was encountered in the main ramp to the East South Zone at the undeground mine. This, Nevada Copper says, restricted access to the company’s planned East South stoping zones. In response to this event, the company took steps to curtail operating activities while developing plans to address this issue.

In the latest update, Nevada Copper said it had a clear line of sight to full-scale production with a “simple and low-risk pathway to full-scale production” established.

Randy Buffington, President & CEO of Nevada Copper, stated: “Our Pumpkin Hollow team is focused on advancing the restart project quickly and safely. We are building on the momentum of the recent achievements by the underground crews as they have progressed through the dike structure and are advancing into the EN Zone in anticipation of the underground development contractor arriving on site and commencing development. The technical and leadership teams are in place and committed to executing this restart plan. We are targeting a mill restart in the third (September) quarter with a quick ramp up to nameplate capacity by the end of 2023.”

Development into the EN Zone has demonstrated that rock quality is consistent with its geotechnical model, which predicted competent ground within the EN Zone, and development is progressing at full round lengths and standard ground support, Nevada Copper says.

The company has awarded a contract for completion of capital projects to debottleneck restart of development and underground operations. This is where Dumas is involved with Nevada Copper signing a $12 million construction contract to complete critical capital projects including the coarse ore bin and installation of an underground jaw crusher, permanent dewatering system, vent shaft stripping and surface fans. Dumas, part of Stracon, is a full-service underground mining contractor providing mine construction, development, production mining, mine services and engineering early-stage projects through well-established operating mines throughout the Americas.

Nevada Copper says its operations team, meanwhile, continues to make rapid progress on all underground activities including mine development, hoisting, stope preparation and underground projects. It has completed the bid process for the development mining contractor and is in the final stages of negotiations for a unit rate contract with an “internationally recognised major mining services contractor”, it said.

Key components of the development contract include 72,000 ft (21,946 m) of lateral capital development over a 24-month contract period; delivery of full development stopes by the September quarter of 2023 to provide sufficient faces and stopes to restart and maintain nameplate milling operations (approximately 5,000 t/d); and Nevada Copper’s operating team will perform all stope mining starting in the September quarter.

Redpath to deliver Pumpkin Hollow ramp-up, Nevada Copper says

Nevada Copper has engaged mining contractor Redpath USA to implement its ramp-up strategy for its underground copper mine at Pumpkin Hollow, in Nevada.

The company commenced production at the underground mine in December and is now entering into a new phase of development supporting its ongoing operations. It said it has “high confidence” in Redpath’s ability as a partner during the ramp-up to full commercial production in 2020.

Redpath replaces the previous mining contractor and will be the company’s principal underground mining contractor going forward, Nevada Copper said. “Redpath is a highly experienced mining contractor with experience of delivering complex projects both internationally and in Nevada, ahead of schedule and under budget,” it added.

Matt Gili, Chief Executive Officer of Nevada Copper, said: “Nevada Copper made the transition to producer in Q4 (December quarter) 2019 and we have developed a clear, straightforward strategy for ramping up our Pumpkin Hollow underground project to full commercial production. Redpath is considered throughout the mining industry as the partner of choice for production ramp up and we are excited to be working with them during this important period of growth.”

Nevada Copper has previously said it is focused on ramping up the mine, in Yerington, to reach nameplate capacity in the first half of 2020.

The 2017 prefeasibility study plan for the underground mine outlined a 5,000 t/d project able to produce some 50 MIb/y (22,680 t/y) of copper, 8,000 oz of gold and 150,000 oz of silver over a 13.5-year life at all-in sustaining costs of $1.96/Ib of copper. It also laid the foundations for a larger integrated project that includes open-pit development and could increase throughput to 70,000 t/d.

Nevada Copper ships first Pumpkin Hollow concentrate

Following the start of production on December 16, Nevada Copper has shipped the first copper concentrate from its Pumpkin Hollow copper mine, in Nevada, USA.

Having reached these milestones, the company is now focused on ramping up the mine, in Yerington, to reach nameplate capacity in the first half of 2020.

The 2017 prefeasibility study plan for the underground mine outlined a 5,000 t/d project able to produce some 50 MIb/y (22,680 t/y) of copper, 8,000 oz of gold and 150,000 oz of silver over a 13.5-year life at all-in sustaining costs of $1.96/Ib of copper. It also laid the foundations for a larger integrated project that includes open-pit development and could increase throughput to 70,000 t/d.

Matt Gili, Chief Executive Officer of Nevada Copper, said: “Our first shipment of copper concentrate has left Pumpkin Hollow, representing another important milestone as we look forward to continuing our ramp-up to full commercial production in 2020.”

Both Cementation USA and Sedgman USA were involved in the Pumpkin Hollow build, with the former carrying out shaft sinking and underground mine development work and the latter completing the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the surface plant and infrastructure.

Cementation, Sedgman to start work on Nevada Copper’s Pumpkin Hollow project

Nevada Copper’s board has made the decision to proceed to full construction at the Pumpkin Hollow project in Nevada, US, paving the way for its contractors to start working on the new underground mine.

The construction sign off follows a recently completed C$108.5 million ($84 million) public offering of Nevada Copper common shares and pre-construction activities that have been ongoing since May 2018.

Nevada Copper said the transition from pre-construction works to full-scale construction was expected to commence shortly. The 2017 prefeasibility study plan outlined a 5,000 t/d underground project able to produce some 50 MIb/y (22,680 t/y) of copper over a 13.5-year life at all-in sustaining costs of $1.96/Ib, while also laying the foundations for a larger integrated project that includes openpit development and could increase throughput to 70,000 t/d.

In connection with the construction decision, Nevada Copper has awarded a mining contract for shaft sinking and underground mine development work at Pumpkin Hollow to Cementation USA. The contractor has previously worked on the project, having sunk the existing production shaft (down to 579 m) and developed hoist infrastructure in advance of commencement of underground construction activities.

Sedgman USA, a member of the CIMIC Group, has received the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the surface plant and infrastructure at Pumpkin Hollow. The fixed price $118 million contract follows several months of a detailed engineering and design programme conducted by Sedgman incorporating a number of significant improvements to the prefeasibility study for the $197 million underground project.

These improvements are all part of Nevada Copper’s latest review and detailed design for the underground project, which, it says, has led to a number of project optimisations and operational de-risking measures being incorporated in the mine design.

This includes a centralised mine design, providing greater operational efficiency for the underground mine, and construction of a ventilation shaft via blind sink, which provides a lower-risk method to support schedule compliance and further enhances optionality for future operations, the company said.

“Further project enhancements continue to be reviewed by Nevada Copper, including debottlenecking to subsequently increase production throughput and the potential for decline access to the E2 orebody.”

Nevada Copper anticipates first concentrate production from Pumpkin Hollow in the December quarter of 2019.