FRANCISTOWN: The outcome of the recent desk study conducted by Mupane Gold Mine has prompted the mine to shift from cast to underground mining despite high operating costs.In preparation for the looming development, the mine is currently undertaking feasibility study which is expected to pave way for underground mining that will follow next year, Mupane Chief Financial Officer Nicholas Brud revealed.
Ahead of the development, according to Brud, the mine has done all necessary assessment to learn about the positives and the negatives which might follow.“The mine’s decision to go underground was prompted by the fact that underground makes more economic sense compared to open pit. We cannot rule out the possibility of high operating costs but what remains is the high grade ores that will be mined,” Brud told The Gazette from United Kingdom. Mupane Gold Mine which has been producing 50 000 ounces of gold per year has been faced with hurdles caused by open pit mining which include among others ores that were not easy to mine. “So going underground is one of our strategic plans to improve the raw materials we mine. When we took over from IAMGOLD, the mine was not doing well, so we are trying by all means to come up with some strategies that will make our operations profi table hence underground mining,” emphasized Brud.The Chief Finance Officer is optimistic that the feasibility study will corroborate with their decision of going underground when the fi ndings come.