Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Longitudinal retreat
- Longhole open stoping
- Post Pillar Cut & Fill
- Drift & Fill
- Transverse open stoping
- Mechanized Cut & Fill
- Cemented paste backfill
- Unconsolidated rockfill
|
Production Start | ... |
Mine Life | 2031 |
Lalor mine in Snow Lake produces gold ore for the newly refurbished New Britannia mill and base metal ore for the Stall concentrator.
Lalor mine consists of the Lalor deposit and its associated 1901 satellite zone. The 1901 deposit is expected to enter production in 2027. |
Source:
p. 15,20
Hudbay Minerals Inc. owns a 100% interest in the Lalor property through one Mineral Lease and eight Order in Council Leases.
Contractors
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Summary:
The Snow Lake deposits including Lalor are all located within the Trans-Hudson Orogen of the Flin Flon Greenstone Belt. The volcanic assemblages consist of mafic to felsic volcanic rocks with intercalated volcanogenic sedimentary rocks.
The volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits located near the town of Snow Lake have been subdivided into two different groups: Cu-Zn-rich (Cu-Zn, Cu-Zn-Au) and Zn-Cu-rich (Zn-Pb-Cu-Ag) types. The Cu-Zn-rich deposits mainly occur in the Anderson sequence and the Zn-Cu-rich deposits occur in the Chisel sequence. The Watts and Talbot deposits, located east-southeast of the town of Snow Lake lies in the eastern portion of the Flin Flon-Snow Lake Greenstone belt and is a stratabound accumulation of sulphides that precipitated in a depositional environment similar to the base metal deposits of the Snow Lake mining camp.
The Lalor deposit and its associated 1901 satellite zone are interpreted as a gold enriched volcanogenic massive sulphide (“VMS”) deposit that precipitated at or near the seafloor in association with contemporaneous volcanism, forming a stratabound accumulation of sulphide minerals. The depositional environment for the mineralization is similar to that of present and past producing base metal deposits in felsic to mafic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks in the Snow Lake mining camp. The deposit appears to have an extensive associated hydrothermal alteration pipe.
The Lalor VMS deposit is isoclina ........
Mining Methods
- Longitudinal retreat
- Longhole open stoping
- Post Pillar Cut & Fill
- Drift & Fill
- Transverse open stoping
- Mechanized Cut & Fill
- Cemented paste backfill
- Unconsolidated rockfill
Summary:
Lalor mine is a multi-lens, flat lying orebody with ramp access from surface and shaft access to the 955 metre level. Internal ramps located in the footwall of the orebody provide access between mining levels, with the mine currently developed to the 1,240 meter level in the Copper Gold lens 27. Stopes are accessed by cross cuts from the major mining levels.
In 2023, Lalor achieved a total of 1.5 million tonnes of production while the mine continued ramp-up activities and Hudbay transitioned personnel and equipment from Flin Flon to Snow Lake following the closure of the 777 mine in June 2022.The life of mine plan continues to be based on steady state mine production of 5,300 tpd and gradually replacing 600tpd of trucking by hoisting 100% of the mine’s production.
Electric Scooptram at Lalor - In the first quarter of 2023, Hudbay initiated the trial of an electric Epiroc scooptram ST14 SG at the Lalor mine, which reduces carbon intensity by lowering emissions and reduces the temperature in the lower areas of the mine to improve ventilation. The trial was successful and, in the third quarter, a second electric scooptram was added to the fleet.
Mining is done using mobile rubber tired diesel equipment. Load haul dump (“LHD”) units vary from 8 to 10 cubic yards. Trucks are currently 42 to 65 tonne units that haul both ore and waste. Autonomous operation of a LHD loader underground is also completed from surface by tele-remote monitoring. Ore is d ........
Flow Sheet:
Stall mill
Crushing
Coarse ore from the mine is transported to a primary crushing plant located at the Chisel mine site and is operated by a third-party contractor. The product from the crushing plant is then trucked to the Stall mill and placed in coarse ore bins or a stockpile. Material from the bins is reclaimed via vibrating feeders and conveyed into a Hewitt Robins 762mm x 1220mm jaw crusher. The discharge is combined with that of the secondary Symons Standard cone crusher to feed a Tyroc 2.4m x 6.1m double deck vibrating screen. The undersize from the bottom deck is conveyed to the fine ore bins (FOB) while the oversize of the two decks is combined to feed the Symons cone crusher and then recirculated to the screen deck in a closed loop. The described crushing circuit is in the process of being decommissioned and replaced with an external crushing circuit to service both the Stall and New Britannia mills. The new external crushing circuit start-up is aligned with the New Britannia mill commissioning schedule.
Grinding
From the fine ore bins, crushed ore is conveyed to the two independent Stall and Chisel circuits. The Stall circuit, which processes approximately two thirds of the mill feed, includes a 3.2m diameter x 4.9m rod mill and a 3.8m diameter x 5.5m ball mill. The Chisel circuit has a 2.1m diameter x 3.0m rod mill and a 3.2m diameter x 4.0m ball mill.
Each rod mill discharges into a dedicated hydrocyclone feed pump box where it is combined with the ball mill discharge and with dilution water. Each hydrocyclone underflow returns to their respective ball mill. The hydrocyclone overflow from each circuit combines and discharges into the hydrocyclone overflow pump box. The product reports to a flotation feed pump box through a trash screen. Lime is added to each rod mill to control the pH in the flotation feed.
The Stall mill consists of the following unit operations:
• Crushing:
o Hewitt Robins 762mm x 1220mm Jaw Crusher
o Tyroc 2.4m x 6.1m double deck screen
o Symons Standard cone crusher
o Ancillary conveying, dust collection, and other systems.
• Grinding
o Three fine ore bins and associated belt feeders.
o Two rod mills in primary grinding duty:
- 3.2m x 4.9m 600kW Stall Rod Mill
- 2.1m x 3.0m 150kW Chisel Rod Mill
o Two ball mills, in secondary grinding duty:
- 3.8m x 5.5m 1200kW Stall Ball Mill
- 3.2m x 4.0m 600kW Chisel Ball Mill
o Ancillary pumps, a trash screen, hydrocyclones, and other systems.
New Britannia mill
Ore Receiving
Coarse gold and copper-gold ore from the mine is transported to the external crushing plant at the Stall Mill. The product from the crushing plant is delivered to the New Britannia site using 40 tonne trucks, where the material will be loaded into a dump pocket and conveyed to the fine ore bin (FOB).
Grinding
The crushed material is reclaimed from the FOB via conveyors into the rod mill and then discharged into a hydrocyclone feed pump box, where it is combined with the ball mill discharge and dilution water. A variable speed hydrocyclone feed pump feeds a the hydrocyclones cluster. The hydrocyclone underflow returns to the ball mill while the overflow flows via gravity to a trash screen and then is pumped to the flotation circuit.
The New Britannia mill consists of the following unit operations:
• Ore Receiving
• 150 tonne capacity dump pocket including a grizzly screen cover.
• Associated belt feeder and conveyor systems
• Single 2700 tonne capacity fine ore bin
• Grinding
• 3.5m x 4.5m 750kW Rod Mill
• 4.2m x 6.1m 1500kW Ball Mill
• Ancillary pumps, a trash screen, hydrocyclones, and other systems.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Source:
- subscription is required.
Production:
Commodity | Product | Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Copper
|
Metal in concentrate
|
t
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... * | ...... * | 7,425 | 5,923 |
Copper
|
Concentrate
|
kt
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... * | ...... * | 37 | 29 |
Zinc
|
Metal in concentrate
|
t
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... * | ...... * | ...... | ...... |
Zinc
|
Concentrate
|
kt
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... * | ...... * | ...... | ...... |
Gold
|
Metal in doré
|
oz
| ...... | ...... | ...... | | | | |
Gold
|
Metal in concentrate
|
oz
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... * | | | |
Gold
|
Metal in conc./ doré
|
oz
| ...... | | | | | | |
Silver
|
Metal in doré
|
oz
| ...... | ...... | ...... | | | | |
Silver
|
Metal in concentrate
|
oz
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... * | | | |
Silver
|
Metal in conc./ doré
|
oz
| ...... | | | | | | |
Gold Equivalent
|
Metal in concentrate
|
oz
| | | | ...... * | ...... * | ...... | ...... |
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Daily ore mining rate
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | 4,500 t | |
Ore tonnes mined
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | 1,536,780 t | 1,260,241 t |
Tonnes milled
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | 1,290,300 t | 1,201,466 t |
Daily mining capacity
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | 6,000 t | |
Daily milling rate
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | | |
Daily milling capacity
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | | |
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Reserves at January 1, 2024:
Lalor mineral reserves and resources are estimated using NSR cut-o ranging from C$146 to C$173 per tonne. 1901 mineral reserves and resources are estimated using a minimum NSR cut-off of C$166 per tonne.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Proven & Probable
|
13,570,000 t
|
Copper
|
0.67 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
13,570,000 t
|
Zinc
|
3.12 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
13,570,000 t
|
Gold
|
3.8 g/t
|
Proven & Probable
|
13,570,000 t
|
Silver
|
27.4 g/t
|
Inferred
|
5,628,000 t
|
Copper
|
1.36 %
|
Inferred
|
5,628,000 t
|
Zinc
|
4.53 %
|
Inferred
|
5,628,000 t
|
Gold
|
4 g/t
|
Inferred
|
5,628,000 t
|
Silver
|
20.8 g/t
|
Operating Costs:
| Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
UG mining costs ($/t mined)
|
CAD
| 142.35 | 136.71 | 114.95 | 96.5 | 104.42 | 94.7 | 80.1 | 66.4 |
Processing costs ($/t milled)
|
CAD
| | ...... | ...... | | | | | |
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HME Type | Model | Size | Quantity | Ref. Date | Source |
Backhoe
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Bolter
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Drill (long hole)
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Drill jumbo (two boom)
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Forklift
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Grader
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Loader (FEL)
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) - AV
|
|
14 t
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) - AV
|
|
18 t
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Personnel Carrier
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Scissor Lift
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Scoop Tram - EV
|
.......................
|
|
.......................
|
Dec 31, 2023
|
p.19
|
Truck (boom)
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Truck (service)
|
|
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Truck (underground)
|
|
65 t
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
Truck (underground)
|
|
42 t
|
.......................
|
Jan 1, 2021
|
p.149
|
- Subscription is required.
EV - Electric
AV - Autonomous
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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