Marimaca Copper Corp has engaged Ausenco to lead the definitive feasibility study on its proposed US$300 million oxide heap leach copper project in northern Chile.
Toronto-listed Marimaca said Ausenco, “a world-class engineering and construction firm with a long track record building copper projects in Latin America”, won a competitive bidding process.
Ausenco is currently working on Capstone Copper’s Mantoverde project in Chile under an engineering, procurement and construction contract.
It led Marimaca’s 2020 preliminary economic assessment and subsequent trade-off studies on its namesake project.
Marimaca says it is targeting “leading sustainability metrics with a focus on carbon intensity per tonne of copper produced, recyclable water and green power use and associated infrastructure”.
“We look forward to working together to optimise the approach to building what we believe is an exceptional copper development project, with outstanding sustainability features,” CEO Hayden Locke said.
Ausenco CEO Zimi Meka said: “We have extensive experience delivering copper projects in the region including Constancia, Mina Justa [Peru] and, most recently, Mantoverde in Chile. We believe the Marimaca project has all the credentials to be the next mine developed in Chile and we’re excited to be part of the current phase of its development.”
