The Carajás Mineral Province hosts world-class deposits of Fe, Cu, Au, Mn, and Ni, resulting from polyphase tectonic evolution, accompanied by hypogenic and supergenic enrichment processes, developed on sedimentary and magmatic rocks of the Archean core of the Amazonian Craton.

Mineralization occurs mainly as a product of supergenic enrichment, developed on jaspilites (algoma-like BIFs interlayered with basalts) in high, flat-topped regions that make up the plateaus observable by remote sensors. The irregularity and discontinuity of the deposits along this mineral province demonstrates the existence of structures inherited from deformational events that favored the thickening of the jaspilite and the efficiency of supergenic processes through the tilting and fracturing of these rocks.

The main Carajás iron ore deposits are associated with flat-topped elevated plateaus, in general, elevated areas, between 650-800 meters, defined along two main morphological alignments corresponding to Serra Norte and Serra Sul. These alignments materialize the limbs of the Carajás Syncline.

The Serra Norte Complex corresponds to the inverted limb geological domain of the Carajás Syncline. The high deformation pattern of this domain is reflected in the geometry and the distribution of the iron formations, whose segmentation by faults and folds of different orientations and scales, individualizes plateaus from N1 to N9.

The plateaus of the Serra Nor ........

The Serra Norte Complex corresponds to deposits called N1, N2, N3, N4 and N5. The mines in operation are N4E, N4W and N5. Projects N1 and N2 are expected to start up in 2026 and project N3 is expected to start up in 2023.

N4 and N5 mines, currently in operation, utilize open pit mining and are operated by large loading and hauling equipment, namely, hydraulic excavators with loading capacity up to 80 ton, cable excavators with loading capacity up to 109 ton and front-end-loader with loading capacity of 72.6 ton. The haulage is carried out by truck with payload capacity of 400, 363 and 290 Tons. In some regions of these mines, where maximum relevant iron ore caves are presented, continuous miners are utilized, which eliminates drilling and blasting thereby reducing ground vibrations caused by blasting and avoiding damage to the caves near the mining areas.

The mining method at Serra Norte is open pit, as a normal standard operation used across the mining
industry. Part of the material is free digging and other parts require blasting. The ore is loaded into the haul road trucks and dumped straight into the crusher. Blending is required to adjust the average Fe grade.

Mine design
The mine design includes benches with heights 15m, berms with widths of 12m, face angles between 26 and 85 degrees, all according to the lithology in the mine. Ramp access is 40m wide with 10% gradient. The ore is either hauled to stockpiles or dumped straight ........

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