Nickel77 do you happen to know what the cutoff % is/was on the McWatters open pit operation for Liberty? Trying to get a feel for it in the Shaw Dome area.
"The open pit is an integral part of the overall mine plan to remove the crown pillar and optimize the economics of the mine. Upon completion of the open pit in the fall of 2010, sublevel caving will commence to maintain a high production rate from the mine.
During the year 2010, Liberty expects to mine 628,000 tonnes of ore with an average grade of 0.88% nickel ("Ni") composed of 89,000 tonnes from the Redstone mine grading 1.21% Ni and 539,000 tonnes grading 0.82% Ni from McWatters. The Redstone nickel concentrator ("Mill") is expected to process 460,000 tonnes of ore during 2010 to produce 6,556,000 payable pounds of nickel; 260,000 payable pounds of copper and 110,000 payable pounds of cobalt. Sufficient tonnage to feed the Mill at 50,000 tonnes or more per month will not be available until May 2010. Thereafter, ore will be stockpiled with an accumulated 168,000 tonnes in 2010 to be milled throughout 2011. Depending on the completion of permitting and progress of construction, the Hart nickel mine may provide additional feed for the Mill or contribute to stockpiled material in 2010."
From the yr end NR:
Mining production in 2010 was as follows:
Mine Tonnes Produced Grade NI%
Redstone 55,545 0.74%
McWatters - Underground
including ore from development) 151,465 0.76%
McWatters - Open Pit 105,688 0.32%
Mill operations in 2010 were as follows:
Source Wet Tonnes Milled Cost per Tonne
Redstone 42,288
McWatters - Underground 168,398
McWatters - Open Pit 105,688
Total 316,374 $ 21.53
