Liberty starts ramp-up at McWatters

After having a challenging time with ramp development, Liberty Mines (LBE-T) has reached the preproduction stage at its McWatters nickel mine 29 km south of Timmins, Ont.

Preproduction has started on the 65-metre level while ramp development ontinues to the 130-metre level. Liberty expects to operate at a rate of 200-600 tonnes per day during the fourth quarter. The mine is about 9.5 km from the company’s Redstone mill where ore is being shipped.

Getting to this point took a little longer than expected after the brow of the portal required extra repairs to prevent potential injuries from falling rock in the spring. As well, a fault structure found in late May let a significant amount of water into the ramp development area but the company was able to take care of the problem with some grouting, rock bolting and screening with shotcrete.

From this point, Liberty plans to ramp up to 1,400 tonnes in the first quarter of 2009, eventually reaching 1,600-1,700 tonnes per day. The company expects to operate McWatters for 28 months to produce 9.6 million lbs. of nickel.

The deposit has mineable reserves of 597,000 tonnes grading 0.92% nickel.

Meanwhile, at the Redstone mine, the ramp has been completed to at least 488 metres from which point a drill drift is being developed so the company can drill test to the 671-metre level. Liberty is planning to have an updated resource calculation by the first quarter of 2009.

Over at the Hart deposit, 6 km east of the Redstone Mill, Liberty is finishing up metallurgical testing and environmental base line studies for a feasibility study due out in the fourth quarter, which will quantify the economics of the project.

The company hopes to begin mine construction in the second quarter of 2009. The mine has a resource of 1.39 million tonnes grading 1.5% nickel and 0.1% copper totaling 45.97 million lbs. of contained nickel as well as an inferred resource of 286,000 tonnes grading 1.36% nickel and 0.09% copper, or 8.57 million lbs of nickel.