Environmental Assessment
Volume B-2
Mine
Project Description
Ambatovy Project
11
January 2006
2.6
PIT DEVELOPMENT
The initial pit development will be in the west Ambatovy area. Pre-production
stripping is not very significant since the ore body is only a few metres under the
surface. However preparation will be required for the mine so that haulage roads
will be in place, and the mine will be ready to start delivering ore to the hopper,
when required for start-up. The tonnage of pre-production stripping is estimated
at about 100,000 tonnes. Annual ore production will build up over time to
6 million tonnes per year. Annual stripping requirements will vary from year to
year, and average about 3 million tonnes per year.
Laterite ores by their nature have a high moisture content. For the Ambatovy and
Analamay ore bodies, the ferralite ore is estimated to contain an average of
approximately 45% moisture (by weight). The dry density will be about 1 tonne
per cubic metre.
Mine development will start about six months prior to plant start-up.
2.7
MINE OPERATIONS
A mine plan has been developed to mine both the Ambatovy and Analamay
deposits. The initial pit will be developed in west Ambatovy. This pit will be
expanded in push backs of about 200 m, until most of the west Ambatovy pit has
been developed. Progressive reclamation will occur throughout mine
development.
Expansions to other mine areas will follow; this will include the central and
southeast Ambatovy areas and the Analamay pit.
During the mining operation four products will be mined. These will include ore
which will be delivered to either the process plant hopper or the ore stockpile.
Two low-grade products will also be mined: low-grade ore and marginal-grade
material. These will be stockpiled in conveniently located stockpiles, for later
retrieval and processing. The fourth material will be waste rock. In most cases
this will be laterite, but the grade of nickel will be too low to consider for
processing.
The mine areas will be de-watered as required. De-watering will be necessary
because of the heavy rainfall in the area and to a lesser extent because of
groundwater inflow into the pits. Water from the open pits will be collected in
sedimentation ponds, and allowed to settle before release to existing streams.
