On 7 July 2022, a group of the MINEX Euope’22 Forum participants visited the Spac Copper mine operated by Tete Albania. Delegates visited two underground mines and a copper enrichment plant. Spac Copper is one of the most productive mines of the area with an active tunnel of 12 km and around 3 million tons of recoverable reserves to be mined. TETE Albania plans to mine 3.6 million tons of ore with SPAC Project.
Date: 7 July 2022
Location: The SPAC project is at a very important spot logistically, located at a 90-km distance from Tirana.
Highlights:
- Spac copper mine (the second largest copper mine after Munella copper in Albania) has 3.6 million tons geologic reserve with 2.8 million tons (with 0.88% Cu grade) recoverable reserve.
- The Spac Deposit was discovered in 1954, with the initial exploration being carried out by Russian geologists up until 1960. Underground development began in 1966. Albanian Government invested in the mine for more than 81.000 meters of drilling, excavation of 140 m deep internal shaft and 12.000 meters of drifting during the communist regime.
- The mine was used as a political prison camp from 1966 until 1991, with much of the mine development and production being carried out manually by prison workers.
Source and Credit: 2022.minexeurope.com
