The Company achieved a significant milestone with the start of mining ore from stopes at Pedra Branca, the first of the satellite mines to be realised under the Hub Strategy. In 2021 Pedra Branca’s successful transition from a concept study to being permitted, built and into successful commissioning and production within three years is proof of the Brazil team’s ability to deliver our Strategy.
The box cut, portal and initial few metres of decline was completed in 2016 and much of the infrastructure to resume its initial excavation is in place.
Sublevel stoping was selected as the mining method and has been deemed suitable for the orebody, based on orebody geometry and rock mass qualities.
Detailed infrastructure design was completed upon the mine design to address the required mine ventilation, mine dewatering, power supply, controls, and communication requirements.
The mine plan targets a ~1 Mtpa10 production rate, achieved in Q1 2022 with a total mine life of 8 years. Sublevel stoping with rock backfill will be applied in a bottom up bench stoping configuration. Stopes will be mined via long hole open stoping.
The pre-concentration and development waste will be utilised as backfill.
Mining of the Antas North open pit was completed in June 2021. The Company will continue to reclaim and process the remaining surface stockpiles into 2022 as the ramp-up and transition to full Pedra Branca feed occurs. ........
