The Scoping Study outlines an integrated development strategy for Halls Creek, with material from both deposits treated through a common processing plant at Onedin to recover copper, zinc and silver.
Project value: Pre-tax NPV10 of A$317m and pre-tax IRR of 47% (100% project basis, real A$).
Silver added: Silver recovery is included for the first time, creating a third revenue stream from metal already contained in both deposits.
Capital and payback: Initial capital of A$75m and payback of about 3 years from first production.
Production: Average annual output of about 4,000 tonnes of copper cathode, 13,000 tonnes of contained zinc as zinc oxide and 130,000 oz of silver doré over about 11 years.
Diversified revenue: Copper 56%, zinc 37% and silver 7% of life-of-mine revenue.
Capital efficiency: A common processing pathway replaces the previously proposed Sandiego flotation concentrator, so the two deposits share infrastructure.
Next steps: Advance the project through a Pre-Feasibility Study. COB has exercised its right to lift its interest from 51% to 75% by spending a further A$1.5 million on the tenements by 30 June 2028.
Halls Creek leach columns at the Broken Hill Technology Centre