• Data Access
  • Your Email  
  • Your Email  
Keep me signed in.
Forgot your password?
Close
  • Forgot Your Password?
  • Enter the email you signed up with and we'll email it to you.
  • Your Email  
Close
Back
MDO
Mining Data Solutions
  • Home
  • Database
  • Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Sign In
Canada
Kemess UG Project

This page is not tailored to
devices with screen width under 750 px.
 Location:
296 km NW from Mackenzie, British Columbia, Canada

  Project Contacts:
299 Victoria St Suite 200
Prince George
British Columbia, Canada
V2L 5R8
Phone  ...  Subscription required
WebsiteWeb
Additional Resources for Suppliers & Investors
Drill results over 30 g/t Au
Stay on top of recent discoveries.
Search drill results by commodity and grade.
Largest mines in the Americas
Mining and mill throughput capaciites.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Deepest underground mines
Shaft depth and mill throughput data.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Heavy mobile equipment
HME type, model, size and quantity.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Permitting and construction projects
Projects at the permitting or construction stage. Full profiles of select projects.
Mines with remote camps
Camp size, mine location and contacts.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
Mines & projects in Canada
A list of country's mines and projects.
Full profiles of select mines and projects.
  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

Thank you for browsing through mine profiles compiled by the Mining Data Online team.

Would you like to subcribe or schedule a Demo?
  • Name:
     
  • Company:
     
  • Position:
     
  • Phone:
  • Email:
  • Message:

Overview

StagePermitting
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Copper
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Block caving
Processing
  • Column flotation
  • Dewatering
  • Filter press plant
Mine Life12 years (as of Jan 1, 2020)
There are currently no mining activities at the Kemess site and on-site activities consist of care and maintenance work and pre-development activities for the proposed Kemess Underground Project.
Latest NewsCenterra Gold Completes Acquisition of AuRico Metals     January 8, 2018


Owners

Source: p. 10
CompanyInterestOwnership
Centerra Gold Inc. 100 % Indirect

Deposit Type

  • Porphyry
  • Volcanic hosted
  • Intrusion related


Summary:

The Kemess Underground deposit is a large copper-gold porphyry deposit and is typical of calc-alkaline porphyry copper-gold deposits in the western cordillera. The deposit has a low grade ore zone at a depth of 150 metres below the surface on its western flank and a higher grade zone 300–550 metres below surface on the eastern side, which forms the Kemess Underground Project. The Kemess Underground deposit is hosted by potassic altered Takla Group volcanic rocks and Black Lake plutonic rocks. The deposit is centered on a mineralized porphyritic monzodiorite/diorite pluton and associated WSW trending dykes, which extend to the southwest. Higher-grade copper-gold mineralization is characterized by secondary biotite alteration in volcanic and the eastern plutonic host rocks.

Porphyry style copper-gold mineralization occurs within the Takla volcanic rocks and intermediate intrusive rocks associated with weak to pervasive propyllitic, phyllic, and potassic (biotitic) alteration assemblages. The latter is associated with better copper and gold grades. Alteration of Toodoggone assemblages ranges from fresh to weak propyllitic and is generally barren of significant sulphides and ore grade mineralization.

Gold-copper mineralization forms an inclined tabular zone that is centred on the East Cirque porphyritic monzodiorite, which from structural contours, strikes east-west and dips 20° to the south. The quartz diorite/quartz monzonite intrusive exhibits an irregular upper contact with various peaks and troughs. The general east west strike and shallow south dip geometry is consistent for over 400 metres (mine grid 10660E to 10180E). Between 10260E and 10160E the tabular morphology disappears and the monzonite occurs as wide dykes (10–100 metre) within the Takla volcanics. The change in geometry for the monzonite could be due to the effects of cross-faulting that have down dropped the tabular upper contact present in the East Cirque, or the rheologic conditions during intrusion changed going towards the west whereby steep fracture infilling was preferred over stopping.

Alteration and mineralization is associated with and zoned both vertically and laterally from the quartz diorite/quartz monzonite intrusive and its associated dykes intersected at depth beneath the Central and East Cirques.

The sulphate leach zone, which consists mostly of iron oxides, sericite-chlorite-quartz-pyrite forms an extensive broken zone beneath bright orange-red outcrops at surface (hematite limonite; McKinley 2006). Pyrite is common throughout (5–7%) as both disseminated and within vuggy quartz veining. This alteration zone is mostly barren of any significant copper and will often show a slight increase in gold with depth. The zone is a result of dissolution of the sulphate and carbonate minerals by highly acidic ground waters present currently and probably during the Jurassic.

Present over the entire area in all rock units except the late mafic dykes are barren pinkish zeolitecarbonate veins, which post-date and crosscut the above vein types and rock units. The zeolite-carbonate veinlets are low temperature phenomena.

Overall, sulphide mineralization throughout the deposit consists of 2–3% pyrite, with lesser amounts of chalcopyrite and traces of molybdenum. Pyrite occurs as disseminations, fracture fillings, and veins up to a few centimetres wide generally associated with quartz-gypsum-magnetite veins and zones of quartzmagnetite replacement. The mode of occurrence of chalcopyrite is similar except that veinlets are rare and significant disseminations occur in zones of stronger quartz magnetite stock work and quartz magnetite replacements. Gold and copper grades variably diminish outward into the hanging wall and footwall. Total sulphide content in the core of the deposit averages 3–5%, rising to 10–12% in the phyllic halo.


Mining Methods

  • Block caving


Summary:

The opportunity to exploit the Kemess Underground (KUG) gold-copper-silver deposit by underground mining methods such as longhole open stoping, sub-level caving, and block cave mining methods, with the block cave approach recommended due to superior economics. As a result, AuRico (then Northgate Minerals) elected to conduct a Feasibility Study (FS) for the Kemess Underground (KUG) deposit based on block caving.

The planned production schedule calls for 107.3 Mt of ore mined at a head grade of 0.27% Cu and 0.54 g/t Au and 1.99 g/t Ag.

Triple declines will be developed from surface comprising access, intake air, and conveyor declines. The access decline will provide access for personnel, equipment, and materials/consumables.

The final design establishes a single extraction level at the 1140 mRL (Figure 5.3) that includes 582 drawpoints (291 drawbells) over a footprint that is approximately 570 m eastwest and 90 m to 300 m north-south. The cave will be initiated in the highest grade ore in the east of the orebody and progress to the southwest over the life of the mine. An 18 m high undercut will be established above the undercut level, with this level at the 1158 mRL and accessed via ramps from the extraction level.

Ore will be recovered on the extraction level using 8.6 m³ (17 t) load-haul-dump (LHD) machines and dumped into one of four 55” x 42” jaw crushers located to the south of the footprint. Transfer conveyors will then transport ore to the main underground conveyor.

The main underground conveyor, 3.2 km long and rising 305 m vertically, will transport ore from the transfer conveyors and transfer ore to a 4.9 km surface conveyor that will drop 98 m vertically overall. A total of 9 Mt per year (Mt/y) of ore will be discharged onto the existing crushed ore stockpile located at the existing Kemess South process plant site.


Crushing and Grinding
Flow Sheet: Source
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Jaw crusher 1.40m x 1.07m 4
SAG mill 10.36m x 4.65m 12000 HP 1
Ball mill 22' x 36.5' 12000 HP 1
Regrind 1
Regrind ....................... Subscription required 1

Summary:

Four single-toggle jaw crushers will be installed underground in the KUG mine, with up to four 55” x 42” (1.4 m x 1.07 m), operating to deliver 9 Mt/y. Ore will be conveyed from the crushers to the conveyor decline portal where it will be transferred to an overland conveyor for delivery to the existing process plant ore feed stockpile.

The grinding circuit will utilize the existing 10.36 m x 4.65 m (34 ft x 15.25 ft ) SAG mill driven by twin 4,474 kW (6,000 hp) motors. The SAG mill is fixed speed and operated in series with a closed-circuit 6.7 m x 11.1 m (22 ft x 36.5 ft) ball mill, also driven by twin 4,475 kW (6,000 hp) motors. Coarse material or pebbles discharging from the SAG mill (screen oversize) is returned to the mill without being crushed. Slurry discharging from the SAG mill (screen undersize) and ball mill are collected in the cyclone feed pump box and pumped to the ball mill cyclopac for closed circuit ball mill operation. The grinding circuit will have a nominal capacity of 24,600 t/d.

The existing cyclopac in the grinding circuit had been retrofitted with gMAX® 660 mm (26”) cyclones prior to the shutdown of KS operations. The cyclopac consists of 12 cyclones of which nine are typically operational.


Processing

  • Column flotation
  • Dewatering
  • Filter press plant

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

The KUG project intends to process 12.7 Mt/y (35,000 t/d equivalent) through the grinding circuit, with one of the two original KS rinding circuits that processed KS ore was removed, so additional mills will be installed to achieve the required capacity.

The Kemess grinding circuit is expected be used to process the KUG ore following primary crushing underground and stockpiling ahead of the process plant. The original flotation facilities remain; however, these will be retrofitted to incorporate both cleaner and cleaner scavenging. In addition, additional regrind capacity will be added to the circuit to achieve a finer grind size. Thickening, and concentrate handling facilities remain from KS operations. The tailings will be pumped to the KS open pit, which is permitted for use as a tailings storage facility.

The KS open pit has a capacity for approximately 107 Mt tailings and 3.0 Mt waste rock from KUG mine development. To achieve this storage capacity, a 25m ........

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameterAvg. LOM
Gold Recovery Rate, % 69
Gold Head Grade, g/t 0.54
Copper Recovery Rate, % 93
Copper Head Grade, % 0.27
Copper Concentrate Grade, % 21
Silver Recovery Rate, % 65
Silver Head Grade, g/t 1.99

Projected Production:

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Gold Metal in ore koz 1,868
Copper Metal in ore M lbs  ......  Subscription required
Silver Metal in ore oz  ......  Subscription required
Gold Metal koz 106
Copper Metal M lbs  ......  Subscription required

Operational Metrics:

Metrics
Waste tonnes, LOM 2,975,734 t *
Ore tonnes mined, LOM 107,381,498 t *
Total tonnes mined, LOM 110,357,232 t *
Daily processing capacity 35,000 t *
Annual processing capacity 12.7 Mt *
* According to 2016 study.

Reserves at December 31, 2020:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Probable 107.381 Mt Gold 0.5 g/t 1,868 koz
Probable 107.381 Mt Copper 0.27 % 630 M lbs
Probable 107.381 Mt Silver 1.99 g/t 6,878 koz
Indicated 173.719 Mt Gold 0.31 g/t 1,737 koz
Indicated 173.719 Mt Copper 0.18 % 697 M lbs
Indicated 173.719 Mt Silver 1.55 g/t 8,632 koz
Inferred 47.7 Mt Gold 0.34 g/t 529 koz
Inferred 47.7 Mt Copper 0.2 % 210 M lbs
Inferred 47.7 Mt Silver 1.65 g/t 2,530 koz

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnitsAverage
Total cash costs Copper Equivalent USD 1.38 / lb *
Total cash costs Gold Equivalent USD 663.3 / oz *
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Copper Equivalent USD 1.55 / lb *
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold Equivalent USD 742.1 / oz *
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold USD 244 / oz *†
Assumed price Copper USD 2.5 / lb *
Assumed price Silver USD 16 / oz *
Assumed price Gold USD 1,200 / oz *
* According to 2016 study / presentation.
† Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs:

Units2016
UG mining costs ($/t milled) CAD 5.54 *
Processing costs ($/t milled) CAD  ......  Subscription required
Total operating costs ($/t milled) CAD  ......  Subscription required
* According to 2016 study.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Financials:

Units2021
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required

2016 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M CAD  ......  Subscription required
Sustaining CapEx $M CAD  ......  Subscription required
Total CapEx $M CAD  ......  Subscription required
UG OpEx $M CAD  ......  Subscription required
Processing OpEx $M CAD 612.8
Site services costs $M CAD 131.4
G&A costs $M CAD 357.8
Total OpEx $M CAD  ......  Subscription required
Total Taxes $M CAD  ......  Subscription required
After-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M CAD  ......  Subscription required
After-tax NPV @ 5% $M CAD  ......  Subscription required
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscription required
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscription required
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Proposed Heavy Mobile Equipment as of February 29, 2016:
HME TypeModelSizeQuantityLeased or
Contractor
Cable bolter ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Leased
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Aug 24, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Aug 24, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Aug 24, 2021
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2017

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
Annual Information Form 2018
Environmental Assessment 2018
Feasibility Study Report 2016
Annual Information Form 2015
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Centerra Gold Completes Acquisition of AuRico Metals January 8, 2018

Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Terms of Use Privacy Policy © 2017-2022 MDO Data Online Inc.