The Salobo deposit is an example of an iron oxide-copper-gold (“IOCG”) deposit and is hosted in the Carajás Mining District within Carajás Province, a sigmoidal-shaped, west–northwest–east–southeast-trending late Archean basin.

Structure
The tectonic evolution of the Salobo area includes sinistral, transpressive, ductile deformation that developed under upper-amphibolite-facies conditions, followed by sinistral, transtensive, ductile– brittle-to-brittle shear deformation.

The Salobo deposit is situated within the Cinzento strike-slip system that reactivated older structures and formed a subparallel ductile–brittle shear zone in the northern part of the deposit and a brittle shear zone in the south. The brittle–ductile shear zone deformation resulted in lenticular-shaped mineralized shoots that show close associations between copper mineralization and magnetite content.

Metamorphism
Metamorphism consists of an initial high-temperature, low pressure phase followed by a retrograde greenschist phase. The initial phase included intense K-metasomatism and caused partial replacement of chalcopyrite by bornite and chalcocite. The retrograde phase is characterized by intense chloritization and partial replacement of bornite by chalcocite.

Alteration
The Salobo hydrothermal system has a core of massive magnetite that is surrounded by less intensely-altered rocks. Within the massive magnetite body there are small veins and irreg ........

Conventional open pit mining methods are used, with the operations strategy based on Owner operator mining equipment and labour.

The open pit mine life is approximately 24 years, ending in 2045 (Reserve Only). The process plant will continue to operate by reclaiming stockpiled material until 2053.

PIT PHASING AND STOCKPILING
The open pit plan was designed with eight phases. Phases 1 and 2 are mined out, Phases 3–6 are the current ore sources, and Phases 7 and 8 will be mined in the last years of open pit operations.

A stockpiling strategy is practiced, using different stockpiles for high-grade (>0.85% CuEq), mediumgrade (0.60–0.85% CuEq) and low-grade (0.253–0.60% CuEq) material.

Phasing of the open pit development and application of a cut-off grade strategy allowed higher-grade ore (>0.90% Cu) to be processed in the initial years of the operation. From 2025 to 2039, the mining of progressively lower-grade material will occur. The copper grade increases during the final phases of pit development and then decreases as production ramps down. The primary mill feed material in the last years of the process life will be from stockpiles.

PIT DESIGN
The mine operates on a continuous schedule with three shifts per day of eight hours each. Approximately 10 days per year are planned as lost production delays due to poor weather conditions (i.e., rain and fog). Mining uses standard open pit methods with drilling and b ........

- subscription is required.

- subscription is required.

- subscription is required.