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Sepon Gold and Copper Operations
Oxiana owns the Sepon gold and copper operations. The Sepon project comprises a 1,250 square kilometres contract area located approximately 40 kilometres north of the town of Sepon, in Savannakhet Province, south-central Laos.
Oxiana has been producing gold at Sepon since December 2002 and copper since early 2005.
Background
Exploration by CRA/RioTinto between 1993 and 1999 resulted in the discovery of around 3 Moz of gold and an estimated 0.9 Mt of contained copper in six separate deposits at Sepon.
In 2000, Oxiana acquired 80% of the Sepon Project from Rio Tinto. Oxiana acquired the remaining 20% in early 2004. The Government of Laos has a right under the MEPA (the mining agreement between Oxiana and the Government of Laos) to acquire 10% of the Sepon project at historical expenditures. In 2005 the Government indicated its intention to exercise that option and will fund its 10% interest through foregoing dividends. This occurred in 2007.
Gold and copper deposits discovered in the Sepon district now contain an estimated 3.8 million ounces of gold and 1.7 million tonnes of contained copper and exploration by Oxiana continues to increase these Resources.
Oxiana has been producing gold at Sepon since December 2002 and copper since early 2005. In 2007 the Sepon operations produced 102,390oz of gold and 62,541 tonnes of copper and studies are underway to expand both gold and copper production.
In December 2007 Oxiana's Board approved an expansion of the Sepon Copper operation from 60,000t/a nameplate capacity to 80,000t/a by 2010.
Read about the Sepon Gold Operation.
Read about the Sepon Copper Operation.
Related pages:
Laos Country Overview
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