- Trevali plans to deploy solar power in its Rosh Pinah Mine.
- The company expects the system to generate 80 per cent of the mine’s power needs.
Canadian mining company Trevali Mining has completed a feasibility study for a proposal to expand its Rosh Pinah zinc-lead-silver mine in Namibia. Under the new proposal, the company plans to generate 30 per cent of its energy demands from solar power. The electricity will be supplied by South African Clean energy provider EMESCO under a 15-year PPA. Trevali President and CEO Ricus Grimbeek noted that the expansion would increase the mine’s throughput by 86 per cent increasing production and lowering operating costs.
If approved, Trevali anticipates commencing construction in mid-2022 and beginning commercial production by mid-2024. The expansion project is expected to require an investment of up to $111 million. The Rosh Pinah mine has proven and probable reserves of 12.35 million tonnes, containing 1.7 billion pounds of zinc, 370 million pounds of lead, and 7.8 million ounces of silver. The study estimates that the expansion will lead to an average annual zinc production of 135 million pounds at the cost of US$0.67 per pound. The average annual lead and silver production is estimated to reach 23.7 million pounds and 303,000 ounces, respectively.