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REGIONAL NEWS - AFRICA Nevsun Adds Copper Flotation Circuit to Bisha Mine in Eritrea striking miners in a confrontation with police at the Marikana platinum mine on August 16, 2012. A final version of the framework agreement was scheduled to be released on June 26. All parties to the meeting agreed to meet on a quarterly basis or as frequently as required over the next 12 months to ensure common action to address blockages and new issues as they arise. Aureus Reports Optimized DFS for Liberty Gold Project Nevsun Resources' new $100-million flotation circuit at its Bisha copper/gold mine will begin producing highgrade copper concentrate later this year. (Photo courtesy of Nevsun Resources) Nevsun Resources has completed construction of the copper flotation circuit at its Bisha mine 150 km west of Asmara, Eritrea. Nevsun initiated gold production at Bisha in December 2011, processing ore from the project's oxide cap, and the new flotation plant is initially processing pyrite sand through the rougher flotation circuit to produce a precious metals concentrate. In September, the plant is scheduled to convert to production of high-grade copper concentrate from ore from the Bisha deposit's supergene zone. The plant's cleaner flotation cells and regrind mills, while complete and in place, will only be commissioned using supergene ore starting in September, after completion of pyrite sand processing. Bisha mine production during 2013 is forecast at 110,000 oz of gold and 30 million to 50 million lb of copper in concentrate. The copper flotation circuit is expected to reach its design production of 200 million lb/y of copper in concentrate in the first quarter of 2014 at cash costs of less than $1/lb. Bisha's crushing and grinding circuit and the tails disposal infrastructure remain the same as for the carbon-in-leach gold plant. The carbon-in-leach plant will be on care and maintenance in a condition that will allow it to be re-commissioned if additional gold oxides are found at or near Bisha. Capital cost to complete the Bisha flotation circuit came in under its budgeted $100 18 E&MJ; • JULY 2013 million for on-site facilities and $25 million for off-site concentrate export infrastructure. South African Leaders Agree to Framework for Sustainable Mining South Africa's Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe chaired a meeting of leaders of mining companies, labor unions and the government's ministers of finance, labor and mineral resources on June 14, with a goal of bringing all of the parties together to work toward ensuring the sustainability of South Africa's mining industry. They emerged from the meeting with a 10-page "Draft Framework Agreement for a Sustainable Mining Industry Entered into by Organized Labour, Organized Business, and Government— June 14, 2013." It was the first such meeting that included all three groups. A statement from the office of South Africa's President Jacob Zuma called for all participants in the meeting to recognize that the mining industry is central to South Africa's economy and that the industry currently faces difficult economic conditions. The draft framework included commitments from each group to a set of guiding principles; roles to be played; ensuring security, law and order; strengthening labor relations; a roadmap for future work; and implementation structures. The document addressed the full range of issues that have unsettled South Africa's mining industry since the deaths of 34 Aureus Mining has reported the results of an NI 43-101-compliant optimized definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its 100%owned New Liberty gold project in northwestern Liberia, West Africa. The DFS describes an open-pit mining project producing a total of 859,000 oz of gold over an eight-year mine life, including 119,000 oz/y during the first six years of production. The New Liberty project has 8.5 million mt of proven and probable reserves at a grade of 3.4 g/mt for 924,000 oz of contained gold. The reserves are contained within designed open pits at depths of 180 to 200 m below surface. The orebody is still open at depth and to the west. The New Liberty plant design calls for two stages of crushing, primary ball milling, and secondary regrind milling, followed by carbon-in-leach gold recovery. A gravity circuit will recover free gold from the recirculating load in the milling circuit and will account for about 50% of total recovered gold. Overall gold recovery will average 93%. Plant commissioning and first gold production are scheduled for December 2014. Initial capital cost to develop the New Liberty project is estimated at $136 million. Life-of-mine operating costs are expected to average $668/oz, using contract mining. New Liberty will be Liberia's first commercial gold mine. Aureaus CEO David Reading said, "New Liberty is a robust and very competitive West African project due to its cash operating costs, a modest capital outlay, excellent grade, and rapid return on investment. The New Liberty project is an excellent first step in developing Liberia's nascent gold mining industry." www.e-mj.com