Overview
Status | Care and Maintenance |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Processing |
- Flotation
- Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
- Merrill–Crowe
- Cyanide (reagent)
|
Summary:
Mineralization in the massive sulphide deposit consists of closely packed, rounded to angular grains of pyrite (generally around 200 microns in diameter) with lesser, interstitial chalcopyrite and sphalerite (generally 5 to 50 microns in diameter). The ore mineral assemblage (in order of decreasing abundance) is pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, bornite, sphalerite, galena, and tetrahedrite. Base metal sulphides are very fine grained. Bornite, tennantite-tetrahedrite, and galena occur in trace amounts as inclusions within pyrite and filling interstices between grains. Gangue minerals include quartz, sericite, chlorite, rare calcite, and barite.
The massive sulphide deposit has been affected by supergene oxidation and copper enrichment. Chalcocite and covellite partially replace chalcopyrite, sphalerite and bornite. Copper grades of the protore, generally between 2% and 3%, are locally enriched to as much as 10%. These zones of enrichment are irregularly distributed within massive sulphide lenses and are observed above, below and within mainly primary massive sulphide lenses.
Summary:
Standard truck and excavator mining techniques are planned by GlobeStar in the open pit mining operations, utilizing back-hoe excavators and articulated haul trucks to move both ore and waste during initial mining operations. Once the pit area has been opened up and sufficient hard rock mining faces developed, GlobeStar plans to introduce rigid body trucks in order to increase productivity and increase the economies of scale. Mining operations will be carried out by a mining contractor working under the supervision of CMD.
Processing
- Flotation
- Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
- Merrill–Crowe
- Cyanide (reagent)
Source:
Summary:
Ore mined from both the oxide (gossan) and sulphide zones will be processed in the mill utilizing separate circuits for the two ore types, after treatment in a common crushing plant. The products will be gold-silver (doré) bullion and copper concentrate. A zinc flotation circuit is not considered at this time, but may be added later subject to satisfactory metallurgical test results.
The current mill design, which is at the stage of detailed engineering and procurement, is based generally on the concepts applied in the 2004 feasibility study by Pincock, Allen and Holt and the Update report by Behre Dolbear. These previous studies differed mainly in the scheduling of the ore processing and capacity of the milling operation.
The crushing plant includes a jaw crusher, cone crusher and a sizing screen for 8mm product. The two ore types will be crushed in campaigns of several days and the products stored on separate stockpiles.
The oxide mill, sized for 70 ........

Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2012 |
Copper
|
Concentrate Grade, %
| ......  |
Gold
|
Head Grade, g/t
| 1.25 |
Gold
|
Concentrate Grade, g/t
| ......  |
Silver
|
Head Grade, g/t
| 13.8 |
Silver
|
Concentrate Grade, g/t
| ......  |
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Production:
Commodity | Product | Units | 2012 |
Copper
|
Metal in concentrate
|
t
| 11,504 |
Copper
|
Concentrate
|
t
| 51,360 |
Gold
|
Metal in concentrate
|
oz
| ......  |
Gold
|
Metal in doré
|
oz
| ......  |
Silver
|
Metal in doré
|
oz
| ......  |
Silver
|
Metal in concentrate
|
oz
| ......  |
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2012 | 2011 |
Tonnes processed
| 714,113 t | 681,578 t |
Reserves at December 1, 2012:
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
2,740 kt
|
Copper
|
2.6 %
|
71.2 kt
|
Proven
|
Oxide
|
590 kt
|
Gold
|
1.62 g/t
|
30.7 koz
|
Proven
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
2,740 kt
|
Gold
|
0.91 g/t
|
80.2 koz
|
Proven
|
Oxide
|
590 kt
|
Silver
|
28 g/t
|
531 koz
|
Proven
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
2,740 kt
|
Silver
|
29.8 g/t
|
2,625 koz
|
Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
2,630 kt
|
Copper
|
1.78 %
|
46.7 kt
|
Probable
|
Oxide
|
311 kt
|
Gold
|
1.5 g/t
|
15 koz
|
Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
2,630 kt
|
Gold
|
0.78 g/t
|
65.9 koz
|
Probable
|
Oxide
|
311 kt
|
Silver
|
24.9 g/t
|
249 koz
|
Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
2,630 kt
|
Silver
|
25.3 g/t
|
2,139 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
5,370 kt
|
Copper
|
2.2 %
|
117.9 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
Oxide
|
901 kt
|
Gold
|
1.58 g/t
|
45.7 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
5,370 kt
|
Gold
|
0.85 g/t
|
146.1 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Oxide
|
901 kt
|
Silver
|
26.9 g/t
|
780 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide & Mixed
|
5,370 kt
|
Silver
|
27.6 g/t
|
4,764 koz
|
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