Cornish Metals Inc has installed the first submersible pump for stage one of the dewatering programme in New Cook’s Kitchen (NCK) shaft at the South Crofty tin project in Cornwall.
STAGES
The pump is the first of two for the two-stage mine dewatering programme.
The specialist high-head 950 kW vertical submersible pumps, manufactured by KSB in Germany, are controlled by variable speed drives.
This enables the 25,000 m3 per day pumping rate to the mine water treatment plant to be maintained as the water level drops and the pumping head increases.
The Canadian company will lower the pumps to immediately below 195 fathoms (360 metres below surface) suspended from 120x3metres-long pipes that will form the temporary rising main.
When the water level reaches 195 fathom level, (360m below surface) a permanent set of pumps will be installed and the submersible pumps will be lowered to the 400 fathom level (700m below surface) for Stage II of the dewatering programme.
Installation of the second pump is expected to begin before the end of June.
MINERAL RESOURCE
Cornish Metals continues to work on the feasibility study and digitise and incorporate historic assay data into the South Crofty mineral resource model due for publication at the end of Q3 2023.
Chief executive and director Richard Williams added: “Activities at South Crofty continue at a good pace with the commencement of dewatering on track for later this summer.
“Good progress is also being made with many aspects of the feasibility study to examining the reopening of South Crofty. Initial results are very encouraging.”