Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit & Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2046 |
Since the mine has achieved its production objective of 14,000 tonnes per day, studies are continuing both Candelaria Underground North and South sectors with a view to further increase production levels. A Feasibility Study for Candelaria Underground Expansion was completed in 2020 and updated in 2021. The expansion was intended to increase total throughput from Candelaria underground to 26,000 tonnes per day. The expansion project is currently under basic engineering stage and will be further evaluated once the changes in the Chilean tax regime and mining royalties are finalized. |
Source:
p. 78
As part of its Candelaria segment, the Company owns 80% of Compañia Contractual Minera Candelaria S.A. and Compañia Contractual Minera Ojos del Salado S.A.’s copper mining operations and supporting infrastructure in Chile. The remaining 20% ownership stake is held by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. and Sumitomo Corporation.
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- IOCG
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
- Vein / narrow vein
- Skarn
- Manto
Summary:
Deposit Types
The copper-gold sulphide mineralization present at the Candelaria Copper Mining Complex is generally referred to as iron oxide copper gold (IOCG). Depending on lithology and the structural setting, the polymetallic sulphide mineralization can occur as veins, hydrothermal breccias, replacement mantos, and calcic skarns (Sillitoe, 2003).
The Candelaria IOCG deposit lies within the metamorphic aureole of the Lower Cretaceous magmatic arc plutonic complex that is located within the Candelaria-Punta del Cobre district, Atacama Region, northern Chile. IOCG deposits are primarily defined by their elevated magnetite and / or hematite with elevated copper and gold contents (Sillitoe, 2003). The IOCG belt located in the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile and southern Peru is part of a volcano-plutonic arc of Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age. The arc is characterized by voluminous tholeiitic to calc-alkaline plutonic complexes of gabbro to granodiorite composition and primitive, mantle-derived parentage. Major arc-parallel fault systems developed in response to extension and transtension induced by subduction roll-back at the retreating convergent margin.
Most of the sulphide mineralization at Candelaria and Ojos del Salado occurs in breccias, stockwork veinlets, and disseminations in andesite, especially where the rocks are strongly foliated. Highergrade copper mineralization is controlled by stratigraphy in mantos and by faults, trending predominantly northwest. The ........

Mining Methods
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
Summary:
Minera Candelaria consists of the Candelaria Open Pit, La Española Open Pit and the Candelaria Underground mines.
The Candelaria and the Minera Ojos del Salado operations are located close to each other, resulting in shared surface infrastructure such as the concentrator and tailings dam, as well as a common management structure. The ore from the Candelaria Open Pit, Candelaria Underground is processed at the Candelaria processing plant.
The open pits will operate with an overall mining rate of approximately 294,000 tonnes per day for the next 10 years. As the final Candelaria Phase 13 waste stripping is completed the overall mining rate will decline. A stockpile strategy has been developed to maximize the grade of material going to the processing facility. Direct milling ore will average 0.61% copper from Candelaria and 0.43% copper from Española. A lower grade stockpile ore will be recovered to meet plan capacity as required. The mine operates five electric shovels and five hydraulic shovels, and will require a fleet of 55 haulage trucks, seven production drills, and a fleet of support equipment.
The Candelaria Underground mine has been producing a steady state production rate of up to 14,000 tonnes of ore per day by 2022 as per the LOM plan. The average LOM grade is 0.78% copper.
Open Pit Mine Design
The Candelaria open pit was designed to be mined in several phases of development. As of December 2022, four phases of develop ........

Source:

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Flow Sheet:
Summary:

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Combined production numbers are reported under
Candelaria Complex
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Daily processing capacity
| ......  | ......  | 75,000 t | 75,000 t | 75,000 t |
Annual processing capacity
| ......  | ......  | | 27 Mt | |
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Reserves at December 31, 2022:
OP Mineral Resource estimates is reported with cut-off grades of 0.15% copper.
Underground Mineral Resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 0.40% copper.
Mineral Reserves for the Candelaria open pit and underground for the Candelaria property are estimated at cut-off grades of 0.15% and 0.44% copper, respectively.
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
Stockpiles
|
77,830 kt
|
Copper
|
0.28 %
|
220 kt
|
Proven
|
Stockpiles
|
77,830 kt
|
Gold
|
0.09 g/t
|
214 koz
|
Proven
|
Stockpiles
|
77,830 kt
|
Silver
|
1.47 g/t
|
3,686 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
361,661 kt
|
Copper
|
0.44 %
|
1,596 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
131,492 kt
|
Copper
|
0.78 %
|
1,032 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
361,661 kt
|
Gold
|
0.11 g/t
|
1,223 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
131,492 kt
|
Gold
|
0.18 g/t
|
751 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
361,661 kt
|
Silver
|
1.47 g/t
|
17,064 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
131,492 kt
|
Silver
|
3.2 g/t
|
13,531 koz
|
Measured
|
Stockpiles
|
77,830 kt
|
Copper
|
0.28 %
|
220 kt
|
Measured
|
Stockpiles
|
77,830 kt
|
Gold
|
0.09 g/t
|
214 koz
|
Measured
|
Stockpiles
|
77,830 kt
|
Silver
|
1.47 g/t
|
3,686 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
478,073 kt
|
Copper
|
0.43 %
|
2,047 kt
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
416,566 kt
|
Copper
|
0.8 %
|
3,352 kt
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
478,073 kt
|
Gold
|
0.1 g/t
|
1,503 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
416,566 kt
|
Gold
|
0.18 g/t
|
2,393 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
478,073 kt
|
Silver
|
1.52 g/t
|
23,332 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
416,566 kt
|
Silver
|
3.31 g/t
|
44,296 koz
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
5,556 kt
|
Copper
|
0.23 %
|
13 kt
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
38,373 kt
|
Copper
|
0.75 %
|
288 kt
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
5,556 kt
|
Gold
|
0.05 g/t
|
9 koz
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
38,373 kt
|
Gold
|
0.17 g/t
|
208 koz
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
5,556 kt
|
Silver
|
0.82 g/t
|
146 koz
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
38,373 kt
|
Silver
|
2.44 g/t
|
3,011 koz
|
Source:

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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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