First underground blast at Kombat Mine

TRIGON Metals, the Canadian company spearheading the development of Kombat Mine, has announced the start of operational training for the underground mine ahead of schedule, by the successful blasting of the first block.

According to a statement issued from the company’s headquarters in Toronto yesterday, the first blast was initiated on Thursday, 1 February, at the Asis West shaft of the previously producing mine.

“The early initiation of the underground operational training underscores Trigon’s commitment to operational excellence and efficient project delivery,” noted the statement.

Trigon’s vice president of operations, Fanie Müller, said: “Congratulations to our team who managed to achieve this milestone earlier than anticipated after months of detailed design and planning.”

He said the focus is now on safely mining the higher-grade ore from the upper levels of the Asis West shaft complex and building on the underground ramp-up profile over the next couple of months.

According to the company, the first underground blast represents a key step towards unlocking the full potential of its Kombat project and realising its strategic importance in the copper market.

“The significant milestone sets the stage for enhanced project economics as the company enters a new operational phase that is expected to exploit higher copper grades at depth as indicated by the resource statement and resource models.

“These were reconfirmed through surface and underground confirmatory drilling, an important step towards positioning Trigon as a key player in the copper market and facilitating the long-term sustainability and profitability of the Kombat Mine,” noted the statement.

Trigon’s Namibian partner, renowned deals fixer Knowledge Katti, also congratulated the team for their exceptional efforts in accelerating the commissioning process.

“This achievement is a testament to the commitment and proficiency of our Namibian personnel. We are confident that this early success sets the stage for a robust operational phase, leading us towards sustained growth and value creation for our shareholders and the community of Kombat,” Katti said.

The first successful mining blast and the official restart of mining operations were conducted on 9 May 2023 at the Kombat Mine open pit.

At the time, Trigon chief executive Jed Richardson commented: “I would like to thank our staff, contractors, suppliers, local partners and the Namibian government for their efforts in getting Kombat back into production after our pause in July 2022.

“This is an important milestone for our company and the Kombat community. We are excited to begin production and look forward to the continued growth of our operations at Kombat,” Richardson said.

Trigon, a publicly traded Canadian exploration and development company with its core business focused on copper and silver holdings, remains focused on advancing its projects responsibly and sustainably, prioritising environmental stewardship and social engagement throughout the mine’s lifecycle.

The company has operations in Morocco and Namibia, where it holds an 80% interest in five mining licences in the Otavi mountain lands, an area of Namibia widely recognised for its high-grade copper deposits.

– email: matthew@namibian.com.na