B -- AMBAJI GROUP MINING PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY, INDIA

Notice Date

July 10, 2001

Contracting Office

USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131

ZIP Code

22209-2131

Response Due

August 16, 2001

Point of Contact

POC -- Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009.

Description

Ambaji Group Mining Project in Rajasthan & Gujarat States in India. The Grantee invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study for mining of the Ambaji mines in Rajasthan & Gujarat States in India. RBW Minerals Industries Limited (RBW) is a Joint Venture of Rajasthan State Mineral Development Corporation, Ltd. and Binani Industries Ltd. Binani is an established zinc producer in India with additional new investments in lead production and in copper mining (in Zambia). Binani is now interested in pursuing a backward integration in base metal exploration and mining of copper, lead and zinc. The project contemplates the mining and beneficiation of basemetal sulfides to be mined from the Ambaji group of mines (Ambaji, Deri, and Basantgarh) to produce zinc, lead and copper concentrate. The project involves first mining the Ambaji deposit, located in Gujarat, as an open pit mine and later as an underground mine. The Deri deposit, located across the border in Rajasthan, already has underground workings, which plan to be redeveloped. The Basantgarh deposit will be developed later (after 5 years). A beneficiation plant will be constructed at Ambaji to serve the Gujarat district. The concentration process envisions three stages of crushing, a singlestage, closed circuit grinding and differential floatation to produce separate copper, lead and zinc concentrates. RBW is interested in having a U.S. firm develop a feasibility study to certify the reserves, specify the mining and beneficiation methods, and derive economics and financing plans. The U.S. firm is expected to prepare the Feasibility Study in three parallel steps: (1) Conduct mineralogical/metallurgical tests; (2) Utilize data for obtaining optimum grade and recoveries to prepare the Feasibility Report; (3) Provide supervision and guidance to RBW personnel. The Feasibility Report is anticipated to include ten (10) sections: 1) Executive Summary; 2) General Description of the Project; 3) Geology and Ore reserves; 4) Mining; 5) Processing; 6) Infrastructure; 7) Environmental, Health and Safety Features; 8) Capital and Operating Costs; 9) Legal and Regulatory Compliance; 10) Financial Analysis. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $493,120 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background desk study report are available from TDA, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, TDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm's name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want TDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to TDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to TDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, TDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling TDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this TDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under TDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the TDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the TDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the TDA grant amount. Details of TDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in English directly to the Grantee by 3:00 P.M. on August 16, 2001 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010712/BSOL007.HTM (W-191 SN50R3P0)