Hi charl
As to your question regarding capital cost for Sc circuit , it would be around 40M for the SX deck, pumps, instrumentation and calcinator (rotary kiln) used to oxidise material and burn off imputities. I dare say the kiln would be smallish due to the low annual tonnes. The most expensive part would be the fire monitoring/ fire suppression, lightning earth grids and lightning protection poles and connecting wires around SX deck. All insurance companies and mining companies know about the two extensive fires that occurred at Olympic Dam in the very early 2000's. The solvents in SX are petroleum based and are a high risk fire zone.
The 70 tonnes that BB mentioned I think will be designed to nameplate capacity the Sc circuit but actual tonnes will be much less due to the three current deposits- Lucknw, Greenvale and Kukumo having very different gradings of Sc. The Lucknow deposit has the highest Sc ppm, Ni average and low Co. As they are more targetting the Ni and Co, I think lucknow will used last.
AUZ Price at posting:
9.7¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held