These are rocks that I picked up in among the gravel in the parking lot of the hotel. The green color indicates a high grade of copper. In fact, some of these rocks had traces of native copper visible. Only in the DRC would stones like this be used as parking-lot gravel. To give you perspective on how rich the copper ore is here in Africa, the average grade of copper ore harvested in North America last year was .22 percent. The average grade of copper ore harvested in South America last year was .45 percent. The average ore grade of copper ore harvested in the famed Grasberg mine in Indonesia last year was .83 percent. The average grade of this year's ore for this mine in Africa is expected to be 2.6 percent. I heard someone say that the ore they are currently harvesting in about 5 percent. The finished product from this mine is copper cathode. The first shipment of cathode left the country this week. There is a push to get the ore to the warehouse in South Africa, where it will be sold, before the end of the month. It takes about 10 days to truck it from the mine site to port.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Copper Grades
These are rocks that I picked up in among the gravel in the parking lot of the hotel. The green color indicates a high grade of copper. In fact, some of these rocks had traces of native copper visible. Only in the DRC would stones like this be used as parking-lot gravel. To give you perspective on how rich the copper ore is here in Africa, the average grade of copper ore harvested in North America last year was .22 percent. The average grade of copper ore harvested in South America last year was .45 percent. The average ore grade of copper ore harvested in the famed Grasberg mine in Indonesia last year was .83 percent. The average grade of this year's ore for this mine in Africa is expected to be 2.6 percent. I heard someone say that the ore they are currently harvesting in about 5 percent. The finished product from this mine is copper cathode. The first shipment of cathode left the country this week. There is a push to get the ore to the warehouse in South Africa, where it will be sold, before the end of the month. It takes about 10 days to truck it from the mine site to port.
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2 comments:
What's the weather like? What do you eat? Do you feel safe? Do you see any of the militia in your area? Oh, I heard there was a big party at your house over the weekend while Valerie was gone. (Just kidding!!)
This is very interesting. I guess since my dad was a miner I'm more fascinated by it than most.
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