Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
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Mining Method |
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Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2037 |
Caserones is an open pit copper-molybdenum mine which produces high-quality copper concentrate, copper cathode and molybdenum concentrate. |
Source:
p. 1
The Mine is owned and operated by SCM Minera Lumina Copper Chile SpA.
On July 13, 2023, Lundin Mining Corporation closed the acquisition of fifty-one percent (51%) of the issued and outstanding equity of SCM Minera Lumina Copper Chile, which owns the Caserones copper-molybdenum mine, from JX Metals Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, "JX").
Contractors
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Summary:
Deposit Types
The porphyry style mineralization at Caserones is a typical Andean porphyry copper/molybdenum deposit. A generic description from Pantaleyev (1995) summarizes the common features of porphyries as large zones of hydrothermally altered rock containing quartz veins and stockworks, sulphide-bearing veinlets, fractures, and lesser disseminations in areas up to 10 km2 in size, commonly coincident wholly or in part with hydrothermal or intrusion breccias and dike swarms. Deposit boundaries are determined by economic factors that outline ore zones within larger areas of low-grade, concentrically zoned mineralization (Amec, 2005).
Mineralization
The Regalito Deposit strikes SE-NW with a length of approximately 2,000 m and a width of approximately 1,500 m. The oxide and secondary copper zones form a surface-parallel blanket over 1,200 m in diameter with a central “core” of at least 1,000 m in diameter where thicknesses average 300 m and exceed 400 m in the central part. Secondary copper grades within this central area are also slightly elevated above those in the surrounding parts of the deposit. Outboard of this “core” the zone thins, and grades are generally lower, although the enrichment blanket is still open to the southwest. The secondary copper zone has been modeled to approximately 4,000 m in elevation and deeper locally. It is generally coincident with the porphyry intrusive (Amec, 2005).
The oxide zone forms a cap that sits on top of the secondary copper zone i ........

Summary:
The Caserones mine is a large low-grade copper–molybdenum mine with a low ore to waste strip ratio. It is an operating mine with mature mining practices. Mining is done via open pit using a conventional truck and shovel fleet. The fleet is management via a mine dispatch system. All equipment is manned.
The following design parameters were used to generate the pit phases:
• ramp width: 35 m total with an effective width of approximately 29 m approx.
• maximum ramp slope: 10%
• minimum operational width: 50 m
• minimum phase width: 90 m except for bench ends
• double ramp access to ensure plan operability
Production Schedule
For the mine plan, a maximum vertical extraction of 10 benches or a maximum movement of 60 Mt ton per year is considered as a restriction for each phase. The concentrator is scheduled at 27.9 Mt in 2023 ramping up to 33.4 Mt by 2027. Oxide material is placed on the dump leach in the period it is mined.
Mine Operations
Operators work a seven day on seven days off schedule while staff/supervisors work a four day on three days off schedule. Due to the commute from the camp to the mine, days are 14.5 hours including a 12-hour shift, half hour lineout, and two hours of commuting from the camp to the mine. Shifts are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shift change takes approximately 20 minutes. The mine averages 15 days of inclement weather a year which varies between 3 and 45 days depending on the year.
Blasting and Explosives
Orica Chile S.A. provides ........

Source:

- subscription is required.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:

- subscription is required.
Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Open pit Mineral Resources are reported within cut-off grade is 0.13% CuT.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
144 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.36 %
|
518 kt
|
Proven
|
144 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.016 %
|
13 kt
|
Probable
|
706 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.29 %
|
2,036 kt
|
Probable
|
706 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.013 %
|
63 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
850 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.3 %
|
2,554 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
850 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.014 %
|
76 kt
|
Measured
|
173 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.36 %
|
617 kt
|
Measured
|
173 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.012 %
|
21 kt
|
Indicated
|
850 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.3 %
|
2,532 kt
|
Indicated
|
850 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.01 %
|
84 kt
|
Measured & Indicated
|
1,023 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.31 %
|
3,150 kt
|
Measured & Indicated
|
1,023 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.01 %
|
105 kt
|
Inferred
|
121 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.26 %
|
317 kt
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Inferred
|
121 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.012 %
|
14 kt
|
Pipelines and Water Supply
Source:

- subscription is required.
HME Type | Model | Size | Quantity | Leased or Contractor | Ref. Date |
Backhoe
|
.......................
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1.8 cu. yd
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
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Bulldozer
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.......................
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455 kW
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.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
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Bulldozer
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.......................
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664 kW
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.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
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Dozer (crawler)
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.......................
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|
|
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Dec 31, 2022
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Dozer (rubber tire)
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.......................
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396 kW
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
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Dozer (rubber tire)
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.......................
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637 kW
|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
|
Drill
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.......................
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|
.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
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Grader
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.......................
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4.9 m
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.......................
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Aug 4, 2023
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Grader
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.......................
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|
|
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Dec 31, 2022
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Loader (FEL)
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.......................
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50 cu. yd
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.......................
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Aug 4, 2023
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Loader (mini)
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.......................
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.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
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Shovel
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.......................
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38 cu. yd
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.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
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Shovel (hydraulic)
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.......................
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55 cu. yd
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.......................
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Jan 19, 2023
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Shovel (rope)
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.......................
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73 cu. yd
|
.......................
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Aug 4, 2023
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Truck (haul)
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.......................
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300 t
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.......................
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Aug 4, 2023
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Truck (water)
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.......................
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|
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Dec 31, 2022
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Truck (water)
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.......................
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75000 l
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.......................
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Dec 31, 2022
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