Project Description
The Wafi-Golpu Project is an advanced exploration project located in the Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea, 65 kilometres south-west of Lae City.
Pre-Feasibility and Feasibility studies were completed in 2016 and supported the viability of construction and operation of a long life underground copper-gold mine.
Trilab provided geotechnical testing of a large volume of drill core from the Wafi Golpu Joint Venture feasibility program. This core was transported from the highlands in Papua New Guinea to Trilab’s Rock Mechanics laboratory in Brisbane, and subjected to a variety of tests within the laboratory.
Multi stage rock triaxial tests were carried out using Trilab’s high capacity rock triaxial equipment which allows for full strain rate control and confining pressures up to 140MPa with on sample strain measurements.
UCS testing was also carried out using this state of the art equipment; utilising strain rate control and on sample strain measurements allowing for Elastic Property determination and post peak failure analysis.
Direct shear tests on intact core were undertaken using the Rock Mechanics laboratory’s servo controlled high strength shearbox.
As an addition test, Block Punch Index testing was also developed within the laboratory in order to help characterise the rock mass strengths without the interference of numerous pyrite filaments found throughout the rock core.
