Mining Intelligence and News
Fiji

Vatukoula Mine

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Cut & Fill
  • Shrinkage stoping
  • Breast mining
Production Start... Lock
SnapshotVGML plans to expand underground operations with a production target of 50,000–70,000 ounces per year in the next 3–5 years.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Zhongrun International Mining Co. Ltd 79.5 % Indirect
Zhongrun International Mining Co. Ltd continues to hold approximately 79.5% of the enlarged share capital of the Vatukoula Gold Mines plc.

Deposit type

  • Epithermal
  • Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

Vatukoula is a low-sulphidation epithermal gold vein deposit associated with alkaline type igneous rocks in a volcanic setting, typical of several other major gold mines in the southwest Pacific region including Grasberg, Porgera and Lihir. Post caldera collapsing (a critical genetic feature) was the formation of a north-westerly shear system transecting the caldera, with flatly dipping structures within the peripheral basalts resulting from tectonic resettling. Gold mineralisation is thought to have been set downbetween 3 and 7 million years ago, post-dating magmatism by around 400,000 years. As currently understood, the vast majority of the gold at Vatukoula is located within a two square kilometre fractured block, largely in the form of gold in arsenopyrite. However between 10 and 50% of the gold is in the form of precious metal tellurides. In terms of exploration it is known highlevel epithermal mineralisation and alteration occur up to 4km from the Emperor gold mine, in an area which has a demonstrable present day hydraulic connection with the mine.

Typically, gold mineralization occurs within steeply dipping dykes and shears, flat-dipping structures (sub 45°), known locally as “flatmakes”, and the intersection of two or more structures, referred to as “shatter zones”. An estimated 7Moz (8.5Moz pre mined resources assuming an 80% extraction rate) of gold has been extracted since mining operations commenced.

Gold bearing veins range from 1cm to 1.2m, at times dramatically over relatively short distances. Annualised gold grades have historicallly ranged from 5.5g/t to 9.5g/t Au. Historically, mining continued along the mineralised “flatmake”, absorbing good grade and poor.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits202020192018201720162015
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.

Operational metrics

Metrics20192018201720162015
Total tonnes mined 403,155 t417,570 t415,164 t399,399 t386,148 t
Tonnes processed 522,769 t676,835 t683,577 t734,496 t473,937 t

Production Costs

CommodityUnits201920182017
Cash costs (sold) Gold USD 1,052 / oz   940 / oz   918 / oz  
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Gold USD 1,526 / oz   1,317 / oz   1,632 / oz  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 16, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 16, 2024

EmployeesYear
...... Subscription required 2013

Aerial view:

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