RE: underground and mill
stokpiker your next point.
new mill - will the govt issue permits for a second mill and tailing pond right next to the old one, in 2001 NGD made reference to a techologically leading edge solution for a new mill partly due to location, maybe the new mill would go right in the pit, anyone have any ideas on this, if they cant build a new mill/pond does that mean they have to work out a deal with AME to rebuild the existing mill (which I understand has been almost entirely stripped) and to use the AME tailing pond, maybe this is tecks revenge for NGD scooping their old claims
old mill max 9,000 tons per day, only ball mills left, no crushers, float cells went to northgate for kemis, most all other equipment is stripped and sold off, when in red ink bankers make decisions for management, to cover their (bankers) investments.
imho a larger capacity mill is required, maybe 12,000 - 15,000 t p d.
a new mill directly over the ore body would be most efficient, lift right to mill, lesser cost to transport ore.
lifts and conveyors run on electricity, bc is the lowest cost producer in north america, safe to say cost of operations can be negotiated and locked in, for the benefit of the tax and employment possibilities.
tech used electric shovels to load the haul trucks when they operated afton!
result: project cost of operation can be determined for long term without the variances of fuel, tire and equipment cost increases.
the feasibility study might choose to long hole the high grade sections to payback development costs short term, before attempting the block caving.
reusing the tailings for fill in the mined areas.
this involves removing the water from the tailings and returning the near dry tailings combined with concrete to the location the ore has been removed from,
no tailings pond needed.
good luck bt.