AW1 General Chat, page-3231

The Udokan Copper Project is built for decades of copper production. it's a complex processing facility (crushing, grinding [2x SAG & 4 ball mills], flotation, filtration, leaching & electrowinning) to produce a combination of copper concentrate and pure copper cathodes for sale.

The presence of a significant orebody like Udokan can be a strong motivator for project development.

Udokan Copper Mine Project Development Phases

The Udokan Copper Mine project can be summarized in these following phases:

Company Background

• Established in 2008 by USM Holding to develop the Udokan copper deposit.
• Owns a patented flotation and hydrometallurgical process for minimized environmental impact.
• Committed to social development in the Zabaykalsky Krai region.

Mine Development

• Began development in August 2020 in the "Zapadny" open-pit area.
• Current production capacity around 6.5 million tonnes of ore.
• Russia's largest copper deposit with 27 million tonnes of copper at 1.05% Cu & also containing 33,000 tonnes of silver,
• 70 year mine life

Processing Plant Construction

• Construction began in 2019 with an investment of over US$2.8 billion (Stage 1).
• Faced challenges due to high altitude (1800 metres above sea-level), harsh climate, and permafrost conditions.
• Includes a concentrator plant (Conc Plant) and a hydrometallurgical plant (Hydro Plant).

Concentrator Plant (Stage I)

• Launched in September 2023 during the Eastern Economic Forum.
• Processes 15 million tonnes of ore per year (MTPA) to produce 150,000 tonnes of copper concentrate.
• First stage involves operating one comminution line and all flotation facilities.

Hydrometallurgical Plant Commissioning

• Began in December 2023 with filter presses and related equipment.
• Expected to be fully operational by Q2 2024.

Future Expansion (Stage II)

• Planned for completion by 2028.
• Will increase processing capacity to 24-28 MTPA of ore.
• Expected to produce 450,000 tonnes of copper concentrate and cathode per year.

Production Targets

• Reach design capacity of 12 million tonnes of ore by end of 2024.
• Produce 135,000 tonnes of copper concentrate and cathode per year by end of 2024.
• Increase annual capacity to 15 million tonnes of ore and 150,000 tonnes of copper by 2026.

Market Focus

• Target domestic and international markets, with a priority on China for exports.

https://udokancopper.ru/en/about/