| Location: | Located approximately 40 kilometres north of the town of Sepon, in Savannakhet Province, south-central Laos. | | Product: | Copper cathodes | | Mining method: | Open-pit | | Treatment rate | 1.3Mt/a | | Process: | Whole-of-ore leach, solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX-EW) | | Commenced operation: | March 2005 | | Product sales: | Primarily Asian countries close to Laos, including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and China. |
Overview
Oxiana Limited owns the Sepon gold and copper operations in south-central Laos. The Sepon Copper operation is located at the same site as the gold operation and the copper processing plant is located immediately adjacent to the gold plant. Background
The Sepon copper project was developed following the gold project as it was a technically more complex project and at US$240 million, was also more capital intensive. Feasibility studies into the development of the copper project were undertaken in 2002 and construction commenced in 2003. The project was successfully commissioned on time and on budget with the first copper cathodes produced in March 2005. The ramp-up of the Sepon copper plant was successfully completed with the plant reaching design capacity of 1.3Mt/a by the end of 2005. Geology
The Khanong copper deposit is a near surface, high grade, supergene chalcocite and oxide copper body derived from the weathering of a replacement style massive sulphide deposit developed in shallow dipping, highly sheared carbonate rocks.
 For more information download the Sepon Geology Factsheet (PDF 144.3kb) Processing
The copper operation is a whole of ore, atmospheric leach, SX-EW copper processing plant which is currently based on treatment of ore from the Khanong orebody. The copper plant is designed to produce 60,000 tpa of LME grade A copper cathodes. The plant is designed to process the ore at an average grade of approximately 5% copper. In December 2007 Oxiana's Board of Directors approved an expansion of the Sepon Copper operation from 60,000t/a nameplate capacity to 80,000t/a by 2010.
Download the Copper Process flowsheet and description of process (PDF 619.7kb) Production
In 2007, 62,541 tonnes of copper cathode were produced. Production of 60,000t - 65,000t of copper cathode is expected for 2008. View recent production results Outlook
Oxiana is focused on maximising its investment in the Sepon project through continuous exploration and incremental expansion of its gold and copper mining operations over time. The ultimate production potential of the Sepon District is considered to be significantly greater than its current scale. The area surrounding the Sepon operations are located within a 400 kilometre square area of gold and copper mineralisation. Exploration for further copper Resources at Sepon is focused on the Khanong deposit, which is currently being mined, and on the large Thengkham system which lies 7km to the west of Khanong. Markets
Sepon Copper is sold to manufacturers of cable, wire and tube in neighbouring countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and China. Refined copper demand in the region remains very strong due to infrastructure projects and strong economic output. Related pages
Overview - Sepon Gold and Copper Operations
Sepon Gold
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