Namdeb selects Firestone Diamonds to build floating treatment plant
March 14, 2010
Firestone Diamonds has been selected as the preferred candidate to build and operate a new dredge and a 11.5-million ton a year floating treatment plant (FTP) for Namibia's national diamond-miner Namdeb.
Namdeb, jointly owned by De Beers and the Nambian government, decided to outsource the FTP project which aims to help extend the lifespan of its mines.
Firestone won the tender to construct the plant at Namdeb’s operations based on the south-west coast of Namibia, as well as operating the plant on a toll treatment basis.
The plant isforecast to reduce Namdeb's operating costs considerably. With a targeted production capacity of 11.5-million tons a year, and a 15-year design life, production is expected to begin in two years.
Following the tender, Firestone and a FTP project team from Namdeb are revising the initial feasibility study to make sure that it is still within current capital costs and Firestone’s projected operating forecasts.
Once the study is completed later this year, it will be submitted to Namdeb for approval. At that point, the parties will draw up a formal contract and begin the project.
Miner Debswana, jointly owned by De Beers and the Botswana government, chose Firestone for a toll treatment tailings processing project at its huge Jwaneng mine.
