Proactive: Cyprium Metals moves Nifty Copper Complex closer to restart

Proactive

By Ephrem Joseph.

Cyprium Metals Ltd (ASX:CYM, OTCQB:CYPMF) has advanced the Phase 1 Cathode Restart at its Nifty Copper Complex in Western Australia, with work shifting from construction and refurbishment toward practical completion, commissioning and operational readiness.

The company said the June quarter to date had been a period of intensive execution across acid storage, ponds, heap leach, solvent extraction, electrowinning, solution handling, filtration, firewater and electrical systems at Nifty.

A key milestone was the commissioning of a new acid storage and distribution terminal, allowing sulphuric acid deliveries to restart in late May - the first acid delivered to site since the SXEW plant closed in 2006.

Restart program gains momentum

Cyprium said the Phase 1 Copper Cathode Restart had “materially advanced”, with several work packages now moving toward completion.

Executive chair Matt Fifield said the receipt of sulphuric acid on site was a tangible marker of progress in the project timetable.

“We are transitioning from building to completing, with commissioning to follow,” Fifield said.

He said site activity had remained high across every major work package, while technical and commercial work to support the company’s growth plans had also progressed.

Acid supply chain re-established

The new acid terminal was completed and commissioned during the quarter after regulatory sign-off.

Cyprium has arrangements to procure acid through one of Australia’s largest sulphuric acid handlers, with material delivered by sea to the supplier’s Port Hedland terminal before being transported to Nifty by specialised tanker truck.

The Port Hedland terminal currently holds up to five months of Cyprium’s forecast acid requirements.

Cyprium said the restart of acid supply demonstrated the readiness of the storage and logistics chain to support near-term leaching operations.

Heap leach and solution systems progress

Preparation for the initial surface leach program has continued, including the turnover of surface materials on select heaps, installation of on-flow piping and dripper hose, and testing and pressurisation of solution systems.

The company expects turnover pads to be flushed with water and then commissioned with acid in the coming weeks, subject to regulatory sign-off on heap leach ponds and drainage work.

Cyprium has also started a direct injection leaching trial, testing whether solution can be applied through shallow wells into the heaps to increase the volume of material under leach. Initial indications from water flushing were described as promising, with the trial ongoing.

Pond and solution infrastructure has also advanced, including work on intermediate leach solution and pregnant leach solution systems, raffinate pond readiness, field devices, control circuits and stormwater systems.

SXEW plant moves toward commissioning

At the solvent extraction plant, Cyprium said all structural repairs and acid-proofing had been completed and received regulatory sign-off.

Work is now focused increasingly on commissioning preparation, with tanks cleaned and inspected, bunds and sumps hydrotested, pipework reinstated and redundant pipework and cabling removed.

The electrowinning area also recorded progress, with concrete repairs, acid-proofing, HDPE lining repairs, hydrotesting, compressor installation, EW cell installation, busbar upgrades, transformer delivery, overhead crane installation and stripping machine refurbishment.

Anodes and cathodes required to plate copper in the electrowinning plant have started arriving on site.

Electrical and instrumentation work continued across the quarter, including cable removal, installation, testing and termination across the motor control centre and field areas.

Operational readiness advances

Cyprium said the quarter marked a clear shift toward pre-commissioning and commissioning preparation.

Operational readiness activities included preparation of manuals and procedures, training system upgrades, laboratory fitout, mine rescue and safety equipment acquisition, initial deliveries of first-fill material, warehouse stocktake and ERP protocols.

The company said these milestones were aimed at reducing risk and shortening the timeline to first cathode production.

What's ahead

Cyprium expects to provide further updates on its broader growth program during the September quarter.

The company is working on plans and capital estimates to expand SXEW cathode production capacity from the Phase 1 target of around 6,000 tonnes per annum to about 20,000 tonnes per annum.

It is also evaluating shallow oxide material in the Nifty open pit, including additional drilling and mine planning, with updated Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates expected for the Nifty Copper Complex in the second half of CY2026.

Cyprium is also refining plans for open-pit sulphide mining and refurbishment of the existing Nifty concentrator, while exploration updates are expected separately.

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