Overview
Tunisia is a major zinc producer with Breakwater Resources’ Bougrine mine resuming full production in 1999, after curtailed production in 1998. The Bougrine mine produced 77.1 million pounds of zinc in 2003 (2002 – 74.3 million pounds) and 9.9 million pounds of lead (2002 – 10.1 million pounds) from 410,961 tonnes of ore milled (2002 – 423,414 tonnes). Minesite operating costs per tonne of ore milled were US$35.81 in 2003 compared with US$32.19 in 2002 and total cash costs in 2003 were US$0.35 per pound of payable zinc compared with US$0.36 per pound of payable zinc in 2002.
The Societe du Nord-Ouest operates the lead-zinc-barite mine at Boujabeer and a zinc mine at Hassine. Consolidated Global Minerals Ltd. Has acquired several prospective lead zinc properties in Tunisia, including the Fej Lahdoum Project (consisting of four exploration permits) and the Djebba Project (one exploration permit). These projects are located within the Atlas Mountains of Northern Tunisia. Djebba is a stratabound carbonate hosted lead zinc deposit located 50km away from the Bougrine mine. Djebba has estimated resources at 2.7 Mt grading at 6.14% zinc and 3.34% lead. Consolidated Global Minerals are also investigating the 100% owned Ouled Moussa mineral concession located in the Zone des Domes area in north western Tunisia. Ouled Moussa has an estimated resource containing 5Mt with an average grade of 33.3% Barite (BaSO4), 9.3% Fluorite (CaF2), 3.6% zinc and 1.5% lead.
A Canadian company Consolidated Global Minerals Ltd (CGM) has an option-to- purchase agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Djebba zinc-lead project. The Djebba property extends over 16 km2 in the Beja district (Atlas Mountains) of north-western Tunisia, about 110 km from Tunis.
CGM has also entered into an option-to-purchase agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Fej Lahdoum zinc-lead project. Fej Lahdoum consists of four adjacent and contiguous blocks totalling 197 km2: Jebel Fej Lahdoum, Kef Dougga, Kef El Adhama and Ain Jem-mala. The Jebel Fej Lahdoum permit area encloses the currently active Fej Lahdoum Zn-Pb mine, owned and operated by an agency of the Tunisian Government.
Organisations (1)
Societe du Nord-Ouest :[ Add More ]
Facilities (12)
Bougrine, Bougrine Mine, Boujabeer, Boujabeur Mine, Djebel Djerissa Mine, Djerissa, Fej Lahdoum Mine, Hassine, Jallabia Mine, Kef Eddour Mine, Phillipe Thomas, Redeyef
Participating Organisations
Breakwater Resources Ltd
Breakwater have been operating the Bougrine mine since 1999 and is expected to cease operation during the first half of 2005.
