ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
MINING HOPE
ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
ALPHAMIN RESOURCES IS A MAINSTAY BRIDGING THE WORLD OF RAPIDLY DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY AND THE REMOTE TERRITORY IN DRC’S NORTH KIVU JUNGLES.
KEYSTONE OF THE TH 4 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION PROJECT MANAGED BY: MALVERN KANDEMWA
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ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
Alphamin has built, commissioned, and for over a year has been producing tin from its Mpama North mine at Bisie in North Kivu DRC. Alphamin’s operation is a pinprick in the vast jungles of North Kivu DRC, however, its comparative size belies the gigantic role it has and continues to play in the two extreme poles of the rapidly developing fourth industrial revolution and renewable energy sectors, and the dramatic improvement in the livelihoods of its host communities in North Kivu DRC.
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“A
lphamin represented the most important source for tin, the glue that enables the 4th Industrial Revolution,” says Maritz Smith, Alphamin CEO. “Its location presented certain challenges, which having been successfully met, positions the company as a pillar of strength in North Kivu, DRC whilst becoming a mainstay supplier of tin to the world .” While the mine presented a challenge, the growing demand for tin made the effort to overcome those challenges worth it.
“Tin has been mined and used by mankind for millennia. It is a metal that seldom occurs in deposits with a grade sufficient to support a mining operation. Yet tin plays a vital role in the world’s current economic activities, whilst proving to have a vast array of pivotable future uses in new technologies particularly renewable energies,” Boris Kamstra, Alphamin Executive Director tells us. “This demand, which promises only to increase, is in stark contrast to the rapidly depleting current mines, and few new mines.”
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Multimodal Logistics experts in the D.R.C. since 1953 Freight forwarding Transport Shipping agency Customs clearance Storage FedEx
YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER IN MULTIMODAL LOGISTICS ConnexAfrica is before all a global logistics expert. Strengthened by our history, we offer to our clients and partners a knowledge of the local environment of DRC and Zambia. Our attentive teams offer reliable and efficient services, in conformity with our values and international standards.
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ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
COVID-19 has placed further pressure on a smooth, predictable volume of mined tin for its end users. The pandemic has induced shutdowns reducing the supply of new material available to the market, whilst at the same time delaying the progress of new operations. In this environment, Alphamin is a new pillar of reliable predictability for the industry’s end users. “Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, Alphamin has consistently met and in instances surpassed its market guidance,” Smith says proudly. “This is just
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the beginning, as the company has announced plans to increase production, reduce the cost of tin produced and increase the resources to support and increase the current life of mine for Bisie and other prospects on Alphamin’s license area.”
“BISIE’S INDICATIVE GRADES WOULD BE WORTH THE EFFORT, AND THE TEAM’S INGENUITY WOULD SURPASS ALL OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF DEVELOPING THE MINE.”
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ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
Alphamin secured a license covering an area known as Bisie. Located in remote equatorial rain forests of the Walikale Territory of North Kivu DRC. Logistics and associated infrastructure initially presented a challenge. However, the Alphamin team with the backing of its shareholders recognised the potential and believed solutions would be found to those challenges. “Bisie’s indicative grades would be worth the effort, and the team’s ingenuity would surpass all obstacles in the way of developing the mine,” Kamstra says. “The world’s tin mines currently have an average head feed grade of 0.8% tin, Alphamin in comparison has a head feed grade of 4.1% tin. This translates roughly into the rest of the world having 8kg of
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Mining & Africa Logistics
Nucleus Mining & Africa Logistics is a projects and supply chain company focussed on planning, implementing and controlling the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods, services and related information from point of origin to point of consumption.
Nucleus Mining & Africa Logistics supports multiple industries across Africa, including:
Services provided by Nucleus Mining & Africa Logistics include:
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HANDLING
WAREHOUSING
Founded in 1970 TMK is the total logistics provider in Eastern DRC. TMK links the rest of the world to Eastern DRC through the port of Mombasa in Kenya.
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TMK has: • Own fleet of trucks, of all sizes. • Offices and workshops in Goma (head office), Butembo, Beni, Bunia, Kisangani, Bunagana, Ishasha, Kasindi, Logu. • Vast warehouse facilities available for long or short term rental. • Official clearing and forwarding licenses for imports and exports. • Cranes, forklifts and low-loaders for all handing needs. • Experienced staff and management, service orientated and able to provide daily information on the progress of your goods. 250 Avenue de l’Industrie P.O. Box 98, Goma, D.R. of Congo tmk@tmkcongo.com
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NUCLEUS MINING & AFRICA LOGISTICS ROAD, OCEAN, RAIL AND AIR FREIGHT Nucleus Mining & Africa Logistics offers tailor- made multi modal logistics solutions starting from greenfield and exploration, through to project and construction and into operational phase. The company has built close relationships with airlines, shipping lines and rail operators. Warehousing and Cross Docking Strategically situated for easy access, Nucleus Mining & Africa Logistics offers cross docking and warehousing services throughout Africa. Facilities include large parking areas for trucks, overnight facilities for drivers, 24-hour surveillance security, road vehicle weighbridges, loading ramps and the handling of bulk, breakbulk and outof-gauge cargo containers. In addition, bonded storage can be arranged and crating and palletising is done on site. AIR CHARTERS With access to remote air strips and extensive experience on the ground, Nucleus Mining and Africa Logistics’ provides cost-effective air charter solutions and services such as flight and landing permits, loading and packing advice, ground transportation, expediting of customs documentation and certification and packaging of dangerous goods. Nucleus Mining & Africa Logistics are members of the Global Cross Trades Network and have owner-managed offices and joint partnerships across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. www.nucleusml.co.za
ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
tin available per tonne of ore mined versus Alphamin having 41kgs available. That is 5.13 times as much, or 412.5% more tin available pre-processing for Alphamin than the global average.” Alphamin believed that these grades would be more than sufficient to deal with the additional costs of establishing and operating this remote mine. This belief has been verified with Alphamin consistently ranked in the lowest cost quartile of tin mines globally.
“THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PROCESSING PLANT WILL BE IMPROVED WITH THE ADDITION OF A FINE TIN RECOVERY CIRCUIT. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RAISE ALPHAMIN’S TIN PRODUCTION TO 12,000 TONNES PER ANNUM AT A NEGLIGIBLE COST.” These high in situ grades and process friendly mineralisation allowed Alphamin to design and construct an efficiently sized operation comprising an underground mine with a concentrating plant to produce 11,000 tonnes of tin in concentrate per annum. Alphamin announced in July this year that it will be initiating Resource Extension Drilling at its Mpama South prospect. This is less than one kilometre away from its current processing facility. Between 2012 and 2013 Alphamin drilled 19 holes to determine the extent and nature of mineralisation at Mpama South. This programme intersected two distinct mineralised zones, an upper zone showing welldeveloped lead, zinc and silver
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ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
mineralization, and a lower zone rich in tin and copper. A deep-level drilling program is being initiated to further target additional resources for the current mining operation. Whilst Mpama North and South are targets for drilling later in 2020 and 2021, Alphamin has several additional targets along the Bisie Ridge where geochemistry and geophysics have returned signatures resembling those of Mpama North. “The efficiency of the processing plant will be improved with the addition of a fine tin recovery circuit,” Smith explains. “This has the potential to raise Alphamin’s
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tin production to 12,000 tonnes per annum at a negligible cost.”
THE FUTURE IS TIN
“Tin’s current primary use is in electronic solder, the glue that holds the technology world together. All components are secured to their respective circuit boards with tin,” Kamstra says. Kamstra is right. Not only is tin is in every mobile phone, computer, and television screen, it’s also seeing growing use in motor vehicles, both Electronic Vehicles(EV) and internal combustion engines. Estimates are that by 2040 half of all passenger vehicles will be EV. According to the International Tin Association, the metal
will increasingly contribute to modern, clean technologies including lithium-ion batteries for autonomous and EVs.
“THE BISIE PROJECT IN THE DRC IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO GO ABOUT MINING IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS,” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
THE COMPANY’S DRIVE TO FIND ADDITIONAL ORE BODIES AT BISIE, MEANS THAT ITS HOSTS OF WALIKALE, SHAREHOLDERS AND USERS OF TIN WILL BENEFIT FROM ALPHAMIN’S OPERATIONS WELL INTO THE FUTURE.”
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“Battery researchers are developing solid-state batteries utilising ceramic electrolytes (versus liquid) for improved safety and performance,” Kamstra points outs. “Silicon is a potentially attractive anode material due to its high potential capacity and abundance in nature. Recent research has shown that adding tin to the silicon-based anode enhances its performance, creating the potential for tin to be a major contributor to the next generation of lithium batteries.” Tin is increasingly being incorporated into solar panels, replacing scarce and increasingly expensive rare earth elements. Bloomberg estimates that 12TW increase in generating capacity will be required by 2050, with close to 80% of this coming from renewable energy sources. In solar energy alone close to 500g of tin is
required for 1MW of solar power. Tin’s importance to the world economy was recently highlighted when the USA declared tin a critical strategic metal. According to a 2018 U.S. Geological Survey tin has not been produced in the United States since 1993. Alphamin’s Bisie tin mine in the DRC is well-positioned to take advantage of the world’s growing demand for “clean” minerals. “The Bisie project in the DRC is an excellent example of how to go about mining in developing countries and building relationships with all stakeholders,” Kamstra says. “Moreover, the company’s drive to find additional ore bodies at Bisie, means that its hosts of Walikale, shareholders and users of tin will benefit from Alphamin’s operations well into the future”, concludes Smith.
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ALPHAMIN RESOURCES
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