@WK05The mining exploitation concession for Nunasvaara South allows 120,000tpa of ore to be extracted (DFS based on average of 100,000tpa)
The refinery permit allows 22,000tpa of anode material production (DFS based on 19,5000tpa)
@Holdintheace25 I assume phase 1 mining will stick to open pit initially.
I'm not sure whether changing to UG would be ok with the current exploitation concession and trying to amend a permit this late after the journey so far would be an interesting choice! Also while they're saying the cost of UG is similar to open pit this would be based on the huge scale of the 600-2000ktpa study and not the initial DFS scale.
The expansion scoping study considered initial single open pit (pit 4) which then becomes UG with expansion, instead of original DFS plan of multiple open pits over the LOM. This seems most likely outcome.
Going UG from pit 4 would also better environmental impact that the original plan which
should make the NIMBYs happier because they've complained about the plan for "four mines", although I'm sure the goalposts will be moved and there will be something else to complain about.
(20min delay)