The host rock for the Xuxa pegmatite body is a biotite–quartz schist with a well-developed crenulation cleavage. Pegmatite xenoliths have been observed within the schist, with sizes ranging from a few centimetres to a metre. The pegmatite/schist contact is frequently hornfelsed.

The pegmatite is concordant with the regional foliation, striking northwest–southeast and dipping at 45–55º to the southeast. Drill data indicate the pegmatite has a strike length of 1,700 m, averages 12–13 m in thickness, and can reach as much as 20 m thick. It has been drill tested to 259 m vertical depth. It remains open to the west, east, and at depth.

Pegmatite mineralogy consists of the following minerals, with their approximate vein content: spodumene (20%), microcline and albite (40–45%), quartz (30%) and muscovite (5%). Spodumene occurs as pale green to colourless, elongated, tabular, crystals that can range in size from millimetre to as much as 80 cm in length and be as wide as 10 cm. The spodumene laths are set in a medium- to very coarse-grained groundmass of colourless albite, translucent quartz and pale grey perthitic microcline. Pale yellow–green medium- to coarsegrained muscovite micas may be present. Poikilitic textures of spodumene and quartz are common. Tantalite–columbite and cassiterite can occur in association with albite.

The Xuxa pegmatite dike is found on both sides of the Piaui River but does not crop out in the river valley. Two drill holes w ........

The Xuxa Deposit will be mined by open pit mining methods, using a contracted mining fleet consisting of hydraulic excavators, front loaders, and 40 t transport trucks for waste and ore, coupled with appropriate auxiliary support equipment.

The mine layout and operation are based on the following criteria:
• Two independent open pits areas: Pit 1 in the north and Pit 2 in the south;
• Single access from both pits to the mine infrastructure pad and the processing plant;
• Pre-splitting of the ore zone to reduce mine dilution;
• Elevated inter-ramp angles for the waste to reduce strip ratio.

The basis for the scheduling includes:
• Six months of pre-stripping to liberate the ore;
• Pit 1 and Pit 2 mined in conjunction from Year 1 to Year 8 to reduce the drop-down rate and to facilitate the 1.5 Mtpa production rate;
• The planned open pit mine life is eight years;
• The mining fleet is based on road trucks and this fleet will be operated by a mining contractor.

The main mining activities will be:
- Digging or rock blasting of ore and waste;
- Excavation, loading and transport of ore and waste;
- Disposal of ore in the ROM yard and waste in the waste dump;
- Construction and maintenance of all internal accesses to the pit(s) and the waste dumps;
- Maintenance of the floor, drainage, coating and signaling of all access roads used in the operation;
- Implementation and maintenance ........

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