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 Sul Complex corresponds to the normal limb domain of the Carajás Syncline, characterized by a lower degree of deformation when compared to the inverse limb, which is reflected in the greater continuity of the iron formations.

The S11 deposit corresponds to the largest plateau and the main mineralized body of Serra Sul. This plateau extends for 28 km in the NW-SE direction. Its shape is segmented, with directions that vary sharply between N-S and E-W, configuring a kink-type pattern. The deposit includes A, B, C, and D bodies, the latter is the one of the highest economic interests. The plateau is predominantly composed of rocks from the Carajás and Igarapé Cigarra formations, which contact the Parauapebas Formation to the south, and Águas Claras Formation to the north. The layers present variable dips and azimuths shifting between the north and east directions, in general configuring a normal stratigraphic stacking.

At the eastern portion of the S11 plateau, which comprises the active part of the S11D mine, the geological information was obtained by mapping on a 1:2,000 scale, diamond drilling, trenches and channels.

The Carajá ........

The Serra Sul Mining Complex is located in the north of Brazil. The property consists of orebody S11, subdivided on A, B, C, and D. Current production activities are in the S11D mine and the mineral reserves and mineral resources are defined only for the orebodies C and D.

Serra Sul has been operating since 2016, with production rates of approximately 80 Mtpa in the recent years. It is mined by open pit with berms and benches and uses large truck, shovel equipment and also In Pit Crusher Conveyor (IPCC) mining method.

The mine design includes benches 15m high, berms 15m wide, bench face angles from 50 to 85 degrees, according to the lithology in the mine. Ramp access is 40m width with 10% gradient.

The mining method at Serra Sul is open pit. Materials that require drilling and blasting and whose geometry does not favor to IPCC, are mined by normal truck and shovel, otherwise IPCC mining method is applied.

The movement of material is done by electric cable and/or hydraulic excavators into mobile crushers. The mobile crushing plants are equipped with a “sizer” (friable materials) or jaws crushers (compact material). Once the particle is reduced to the appropriate size for the conveyor belt, both the ore and the waste are sent to a transfer house where the conveyors are provided with a mobile head and adjust to transfer the ore onto a belt that takes it to a stockpile and the waste to another belt that sends to spreaders, which build the waste dumps.

- subscription is required.