Frontier

LARGEST SUPPLIER TO MARKET OF CUSTOM COPPER SULPHIDE CONCENTRATE PRODUCED IN THE DRC

Frontier SA avec Conseil d'Administration (Frontier SA or Frontier)

Location: Sakania, Haut-Katanga Province, DRC

Status: Operational, life of mine extension underway

Ownership: 95% ERG 5% DRC State

Products: Copper sulphide concentrate

Frontier is one of ERG's cornerstone copper assets, situated in the Haut-Katanga province near the town of Sakania and just 2km from the Zambian border. The operation consists of an open-pit copper mine, and a processing plant producing copper sulphide concentrate with high sulphur and iron content and low impurities. The operation hosts a mineral resource base of 231 million tonnes at 1% copper, equivalent to 2.2 million tonnes of contained copper.

Production and facilities

Frontier's high-grade copper sulphide ore is processed through a conventional flotation circuit, with an annual capacity to produce approximately 100 kt of copper in concentrate. The Cut 4 project, currently underway, unlocks further economically recoverable ore, extending the mine life to 2033.

In addition to Cut 4, brownfield exploration is underway to assess the potential of the Frontier Deeps deposit.

Key environmental management initiatives

Integrated management

Integrated Safety, Health and Sustainability (SHS) management system, informed by ISO 14001.

Tailings oversight

Participates in annual tailings and residue storage facility audits and quarterly inspections.

Environmental monitoring

Conducts environmental monitoring to pursue continual improvement in environmental performance issues, such as water stewardship, energy use and climate change. Scrap metal recycling and commercialisation, working with service providers from host communities.

Progressive rehabilitation

Over 443,000m² of revegetation completed, focusing on reclamation of tailings and storage areas.

With the ambition of achieving no-net-loss, a partnership with the Congolese Institute of Nature Conservation (ICCN) to assist with biodiversity risk assessments and long-term oversight has been established.

None of our production stems from artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activity.

ERG Africa is committed to fair employment practices through freedom of association and collective bargaining and explicitly prohibits discrimination forced labour and child labour.

Our ASM management approach comprises policies, plans and procedures that:

Ensure our operations do not purchase or profit from ASM sourced ore

Seek to improve socioeconomic conditions for ASM communities and offer alternative livelihoods

Promote human rights and occupational health and safety in the ASM community

Uplifting the communities where we operate

Ongoing investment in Cahier des Charges, DOT 0.3% (annual turnover fund) and payment of our social royalties (redevances minières).

Investment areas:

Water
Agriculture
Education
Health
Infrastructure development

Other voluntary initiatives include:

Supported the development of the Amenshi E Bumi (meaning 'Water is Life' in Bemba) water reticulation system to provide the town of Sakania with a reliable and sustainable supply of clean water.