Ivanhoe Mines (TSX:IVN,OTCQX:IVPAF) announced that the Kipushi Mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo now has clear and safe access to all of the main underground workings, including the Big Zinc Deposit. As quoted in the press release: The current mine redevelopment plan, as outlined in the May 2016 independent, preliminary economic assessment (PEA), includes …

The current mine redevelopment plan, as outlined in the May 2016 independent, preliminary economic assessment (PEA), includes a two-year construction period with a relatively quick ramp-up to a projected steady-state production of 530,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate per annum. A pre-feasibility study (PFS) is underway to refine the findings of the PEA and to optimize the mine’s redevelopment schedule, life-of-mine operating costs and initial capital costs required to bring the mine back into production. Ivanhoe expects to complete the PFS in the second quarter of 2017.