Potash and Borate Mine Planning
AAI was contracted by Satimola, Ltd. (Satimola) to conduct a Preliminary Assessment for commercial mining of their potash deposit located in Kazakhstan. In 2006, AAI completed a review of mining options for a borate deposit on the same property. The potash deposits are beneath a dissolution layer and the borate deposit, which overlies the dissolution layer. AAI was selected to conduct the borate and potash preliminary assessments due to their familiarity with the property and their significant experience in evaluation of and mine design for potash and borate deposits.
The Satimola property was extensively explored by the former Soviet Union starting in the late-1960s and continuing through the late-1980s. The focus of that initial exploration program was on the borate deposit. In 2008, Satimola initiated a new exploration program to better define the potash deposit.
Satimola commissioned AAI to complete the two preliminary assessments and to assist in their ongoing exploration, mining, and financial planning for the Satimola property. For the potash study, it was assumed that (1) the potash would be mined concurrently with the borate, (2) the Borate and Potash Mines would be operated with separate personnel and mining equipment, and (3) the Borate and Potash Mines would share shafts 1 and 2 and some surface facilities. Capital and operating costs were developed for the Potash and Borate Mines. AAI personnel visited the site on several occasions and advised on hole locations, hole logging, core handling procedures, and QA/QC procedures so that the resource estimates would satisfy both JORC and NI 43-101 reporting standards.
