The only refined copper processing plant in Namibia – Tschudi – has been restarted and is currently producing London Metals Exchange (LME) Grade-A copper cathode in Namibia for the first time in four years.

Constructed in 2015, Tschudi is host to Namibia’s only LME-grade refined copper processing facility, having produced over 80 000 t of LME Grade-A copper cathode up until 2020, when it was placed on care and maintenance.

Production marks the initiation of plant and mine owner direct-to-manufacturer copper supply chain company Consolidated Copper Corporation’s (CCC’s) strategy to enhance Namibia’s copper industry through the restart of three brownfield mines – Tschudi, Berg Aukas and Central Operations – backed by sustainable domestic processing.

“Tschudi has the potential to rival the great copper mines of the Central African Copperbelt,” says CCC CEO John Sisay.

The restart creates more than 60 Namibian jobs, with 75% of refurbishment capital contracted to local Namibian suppliers, reports CCC.

“We are committed to maximising local employment and education opportunities, alongside supporting social initiatives to improve livelihoods across all of our areas of operation,” he states.

The processing plant restart has been funded by a $20-million secured debt facility from financial solutions and private lending group Triangle Resource Partners – a syndicate of some of the CCC founding shareholders.

Under CCC’s ownership, exploration and metallurgical testwork is targeting an increase in Tschudi’s life-of-mine (LoM) reserves from less than three years at acquisition, to over ten.

CCC identified potential to recover four times as much copper from existing stockpiles than prior estimates, the company notes.

A cutback of the existing Tschudi openpit is required to enable nameplate processing capacity of 17 000 t/y to be reached, and the mine’s longer term exploration potential remains to be evaluated through deeper exploration, the company adds.

In terms of mine sustainability, Tschudi benefits from a direct grid connection, which CCC plans to complement through installation of an onsite solar power plant with a capacity of between 12 MW and 25 MW. The solar plant is scheduled to supply one-third of Tschudi’s LoM power requirements.

The Tschudi copper mine is located in northern Namibia, 20 km west of the township of Tsumeb, along the Kaoko Copper Belt. Tsumeb hosts an operating copper smelter originally built in the 1960s to process ores from the prolific Tsumeb deposit, which was mined from surface in 1893 to depths of 1 650 m prior to its closure in 1996.

National Springboard

Located in the Oshikoto region of Namibia, CCC intends to use the Tschudi plant to rejuvenate the nation’s copper industry.

Consistent with the Namibian government’s focus on domestic beneficiation of locally produced minerals, CCC’s restart of the Tschudi copper plant marks the first phase of a broader strategy to sustainably recommission Tschudi mine, Berg Aukas and Central Operations.

Namibia is currently advancing its efforts in sustainable mineral beneficiation after the government legislated to prevent the export of unprocessed ore in 2023.

This policy aims to capture more value from mining activities within the country before export and to enhance economic prospects of Namibians.

CCC is dedicated to becoming a responsible producer of metals and minerals critical for the creation of clean energy, setting clear goals to reduce its environmental impact and ensuring the participation of local communities and economies.

“Demonstrating the Tschudi plant’s full potential to the local economy is our first step. Since its original commissioning, 30 similar refined copper processing plants have been built across the Central African Copperbelt. Now it is Namibia’s time to share in this regional growth story,” enthuses Sisay.

Meanwhile, a centerpiece of CCC’s restart plan is the Tschudi community irrigation project, which is planned to feed consistent, clean fresh spring water to local agricultural users. The irrigation project is being developed in conjunction with electrification of Tschudi’s water management network being undertaken by CCC to replace a previous diesel-powered network.