Mining Intelligence and News
Peru

Carahuacra Mine

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Zinc
  • Lead
  • Copper
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Overhand Cut & Fill
Backfill type ... Lock
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotStarting in 2023, San Cristobal and Carahuacra mines became a single unit. Both mines are part of the Yauli operating unit.

As of 19 March 2024, due to work on updating an operating permit for Rumichaca tailings dam, the San Cristobal and Carahuacra mines were suspended for up to 30 days.

Underground mining operations restarted in San Cristóbal-Carahuacra on April 22, 2024.
Related AssetYauli Operation

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Glencore plc. 23.3 % Indirect
Volcan Compañía Minera S.A.A. is a subsidiary of Glencore AG, which is a subsidiary of Glencore Plc., owner of 63% of common class A voting shares and an economic interest of 23%, excluding treasury shares.

Volcan Compañía Minera S.A.A. and its subsidiary companies engaged in the mining sector operate the mining unit of Yauli, which includes the Carahuacra underground mine.

In Q4 2022, Glencore commenced a process to dispose of its 23.3% economic interest in Volcan, which is ongoing. As a result, the carrying amounts of Volcan assets and liabilities as at 31 December 2023 and 31 December 2022 are classified as held for sale.

Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Epithermal
  • Skarn
  • Manto

Summary:

The Yauli unit region shows mineralization related to polymetallic epithermal systems, replacement bodies and polymetallic vein systems, as well as porphyry mineralization and skarns, thus indicating the great potential of the area.

The Carahuacra deposit lies on the southwest flank of the Yauli anticline, formed by Tertiary folding. Manto ore, formed before the climax of the Andean orogeny, consists mainly of ferroan sphalerite and pyrite, with negligible chalcopyrite. These were later brecciated tectonically to form two zones of 'breccia ore'. The last phase of mineralization involved formation of epithermal cross veins with sphalerite, pyrite, galena, tetrahedrite, and jamesonite, and irregular cementation of fragments in the breccia ore by sphalerite-galena and pyrite-marcasite. Supergene alteration, particularly pronounced in the breccia zone, has formed ore much enriched in silver (native silver, argentite, pyrargyrite).

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

Starting in 2023, the San Cristobal and Carahuacra mines became a single unit. The combined amount of ore processed from both mines in 2023 was 1,778 kt.
CommodityUnits2023202220212020
Zinc t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Lead t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Silver oz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Copper t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Operational metrics

Metrics202320222021202020192018201720162015
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe764 kt857 kt
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe764 kt857 kt950 kt805 kt653 kt
Daily mining capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe2,500 t of ore

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 8, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 8, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 8, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 8, 2024

Aerial view:

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