The various deposits at the JNP differ from most nickel sulphide deposits mined to date globally because they are of hydrothermal origin, with the nickel sulphide mineralisation being of high tenor (tenor referring to the Ni concentration in 100% sulphides) with low Cr and Mg content and not directly associated with mafic-ultramafic rocks. It is interpreted that the JNP mineralisation represents a hybrid hydrothermal style between magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE sulphide and IOCG mineralisation.

The JNP is located in the Carajás Mineral Province (Carajás), which contains one of the world’s largest known concentrations of large tonnage IOCG deposits.

The Jaguar mineralised bodies are hosted within sheared sub-volcanic porphyritic dacites of the Serra Arqueada Greenstone belt, adjacent to the boundary with a tonalite intrusive into the Xingu basement gneiss, while Onça Preta and Onça Rosa are tabular mineralised bodies hosted within the tonalite. The hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation form sub-vertical to vertical bodies structurally controlled by regional ductile-brittle mylonitic shear zones.

Sulphide assemblages are similar in both ore types, differing only in modal sulphide composition and structure. The mean sulphide assemblage (in order of abundance) is pyrite, pentlandite, millerite, violarite, pyrrhotite and sphalerite with trace vaesite, nickeliferous pyrite and chalcopyrite.

The most abundant type constitutes low-grade nickel m ........

Potential mining methods include a combination of open pit and underground. As such, a 0.3% Ni cut- off grade has been applied to material less than 200m vertical depth from surface to reflect potential open cut mining opportunities. A Ni cut-off grade of 1.0% Ni was applied below 200m from surface to reflect higher cut-offs expected with potential underground mining.

OPEN PIT
A minimum mining width of 20m was used as a guide to open pit design when dealing with small mining areas within the open pit. Pit floor working areas and “goodbye cuts” at the base of pits respect the same minimum mining width. A bench height of 20m within all fresh material and 10m within all weathered materials was employed for all open pit designs completed for Jaguar and Onça. The haul road width is determined to be 15m wide for a single lane ramp and 25m wide for a dual lane ramp.

Pit exit ramps have been designed to allow access to the ROM-pad area (for high-grade and low grade material), primary crusher, and the primary waste storage areas including the Integrated Waste Landform (IWL) whilst maintaining a minimum haulage distance. Where possible, ramp development has been restricted to the footwall side of the pit to minimise the strip ratio.

All open pit mining operations are proposed to be undertaken by a mining contractor. The mine operations will be run by the mining contractor working from Monday to Sundays (inclusive) in three shifts of eight hours wit ........

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