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Canada
Caribou Mine

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 Location:
48 km W from Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada

  Address:
9361 Rte 180 Hwy
Bathurst
New Brunswick, Canada
E2A 3Z1
Phone506-545-6097
WebsiteWeb
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  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
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  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StatusCare and Maintenance
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Zinc
  • Lead
  • Silver
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Avoca
  • Longitudinal retreat
  • Backfill
Production Start2016
Mine Life6 years (as of Jan 1, 2018)
Aug 19, 2022 - Following review of its operations at the Caribou Mine ("Caribou") in New Brunswick, the Company has suspended operations due to operational and financial challenges.


Owners

Source: p. 2
CompanyInterestOwnership
Trevali Mining Corp. 100 % Indirect
Trevali Mining (New Brunswick) Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
Ownership Tree

Contractors



Deposit Type

  • VMS

Source: Source

Summary:

The Bathurst Mining Camp occupies a roughly circular area of approximately 70 kilometres diameter in the Miramichi Highlands of northern New Brunswick. The area boasts some 46 mineral deposits with defined tonnage and another hundred mineral occurrences, all hosted by Cambro-Ordovician rocks that were deposited in an ensialic back-arc basin.

The volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in the Bathurst Mining Camp formed in a sediment-covered back-arc continental rift during periods when the basin was stratified with a lower anoxic water-column. The basin was subsequently intensely deformed and metamorphosed during multiple collisional events related to east-dipping subduction of the basin. The rocks in the Bathurst Mining Camp are divided into five groups: the Miramichi, Tetagouche, California Lake, Sheephouse Brook, and Fournier groups, which are largely in tectonic contact with one another. The lower part of each group is dominated by felsic volcanic rocks and the upper part by mafic volcanic rocks, which are overlain by carbonaceous shale and pelagic chert. The basalts are both tholeiitic and alkalic and show a progression from enriched, fractionated continental tholeiites to alkali basalts to more primitive, mantle-derived midocean ridge, tholeiitic pillow basalts. Most massive sulphide deposits of the Bathurst Mining Camp are associated with felsic volcanic rocks in each group.

The Caribou deposit is a VMS deposit, is located in the northern part of the Bathurst Mining Camp and occurs in the core of a synformal structure that plunges steeply (80°-85°) to the north. The Caribou deposit is a VMS typical of the Bathurst Mining Camp but is sufficiently distinct from the Brunswick type to warrant a subtype designation (Caribou type) within the Bathurst Mining Camp. Unlike the Brunswick-12 deposit, which is hosted by the Tetagouche Group, the Caribou deposit occurs in the California Lake Group near the base of a felsic volcanic rock sequence that comprises part of the Spruce Lake Formation. The Spruce Lake Formation volcanic rocks are petrologically and geochemically distinct from those of the Tetagouche Group. Furthermore, the Caribou deposit is not associated with the Algoma-type carbonate-oxide-silicate iron formation that overlies and is lateral to the Brunswick-12 and Heath Steele deposits.

Mineralization within the Caribou deposit is composed of seven en échelon lenses striking parallel to the Caribou fold numbered 10 to 80 that are zoned mineralogically and chemically from a copper-rich ventproximal facies (vent complex) near the bottom and western part of each lens, to a lead-zinc-rich vent-distal facies (bedded sulphides) near the top and eastern part of each lens. The zones typically consist of 90% sulphides, mainly pyrite, sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite. The main gangue minerals are magnetite, siderite, stilpnomelane, quartz and chlorite. Lenses 10, 20, 30, 70, and 80 occur on the north limb of the Caribou fold while lenses 40 and 60 are mostly on the eastern limb of the fold. Individual lenses vary in thickness between a few metres to approximately 30 metres and extend over 1,000 metres along strike on the North Limb. Lenses on the Eastern Limb pinch at a depth of approximately 800 metres below the topographic surface while lenses along the North limb have been drilled to a depth of approximately 1,000 metres and are still open at depth.


Mining Methods

  • Avoca
  • Longitudinal retreat
  • Backfill

Source: p.147, 149

Summary:

Access to the underground mine is via a connected, dual-ramp system, with an existing Main 2460 Portal located on the north side of the deposit, and an existing 2560 Portal located on the east side near the crusher pad, which connects to the main ramp near the top of the 2360 Level.

During past operations ore was skipped to surface using an existing shaft and then conveyed through a conveyor gallery to the Fine Mill-Feed Bins.

Trevali decided to use truck haulage over shaft hoisting.

During 2015, the construction of an underground ramp connection to the existing conveyor portal (approximately 400 m of development) was completed which allowed operational efficiencies by reducing the underground haul distance to a stockpile within approximately 100 m of the Fine Mill-Feed Bins versus the previous approximately 1.5 km surface haul route. This stockpile is the primary feed to the concentrator, and has a capacity of 50,000 tonnes.

All new ramps are designed at a maximum gradient of -15%, with dimensions of 5.0 m wide by 5.0 m high.

Modified Avoca is the main mining method, supplemented by uphole retreat for partial sill pillar recovery. This method uses development waste and surface-stockpiled waste as backfill. Modified Avoca is a longitudinal retreat mining method. Stope sequencing generally follows a retreat along strike from lens extremities or strategic starting points, and retreats to ramp access points.

The stopes are typically excavated 16 m along strike, and to a nominal height of 25 m floor-tofloor. Stope width is normally the same as the lens width. A standard stope will yield approximately 10,600 tonnes of ore, including the development tonnes.

Blast holes are 16 m to 20 m downholes drilled at 76 mm diameter with a 2.0 m burden x 2.0 m spacing pattern. Some drill holes are fanned out where lens width exceeds 5.0 m. On average, the drill factor is 11.0 ore tonnes per metre of drilling.

Blast holes are loaded with either emulsion or ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO), depending on local water conditions, to an average powder factor of 0.45 kg/t. Slots are opened by drop raising on only the first stope of each retreat mining front. On average, one slot raise will suffice for four stopes. Trevali is planning to convert to use 1.1 m diameter raisebore holes for slots in all stopes.

Production mucking is undertaken by 14 t capacity Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) mobile equipment. Ore mucked from drawpoints is trammed to remuck bays located on each level close to the main ramp, then loaded into 40 t capacity haul trucks. Loaded trucks then travel up the ramp and dump material on the surface crusher pad located adjacent to the mill (Main Feed) conveyor.

When stope mucking is completed, the mined-out stope is tightly filled with waste rock; no cement is used for the backfill material.


Crushing and Grinding
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Processing

  • Flotation
  • Dewatering
  • Filter press

Flow Sheet: Source
Source: Source

Summary:

The process plant at Caribou is a conventional milling and sulphide flotation plant with a 3,000 tonne per day nameplate capacity. The process plant includes crushing, screening, grinding, regrinding, and zinc, and lead flotation and filtering circuits to produce zinc, and lead concentrates. Concentrate production is stockpiled onsite prior to shipping and sale to Glencore. The zinc concentrate is transported by rail to Valleyfield, Quebec for further processing while the lead concentrate is trucked to the port at Belledune, New Brunswick, where it is subsequently shipped to designated smelters for processing.

Product from the grinding circuit, at nominal 35% solids by weight and pH 8.2, gravitates to the pre-aeration circuit for depression of the pyrite.

PRE-AERATION
The first two cells in the lead rougher bank are DR500 units which are used to pre-aerate the slurry and tarnish the iron minerals to aid in their depression. There is no flotation in this circuit, as the cells are simply to provide aeration of the pulp.

LEAD ROUGHER-SCAVENGER
Discharge from the pre-aerators passes directly to the lead rougher bank, which consists of five Outokumpu 16 m3 (565 ft3 ) units and three additional DR500 units for recovery of the lead mineralization. The collector (3418A) is used to recover the lead mineralization selectively from the zinc, with Methyl Isobutyl Carbinol (MIBC) being used as the frother. The combined rougher and scavenger concentrate is sent for regrinding, while the scavenger tailings forms the majority of the feed to the zinc circuit.

LEAD REGRIND
The combined rougher-scavenger concentrate passes to the lead regrind circuit. Isa mill discharge combines with the cyclone overflow at nominal 12 µm to 15 µm as feed to the primary cleaning.

The primary cleaner concentrate undergoes secondary regrind in an additional M1000 Isa mill using 100 mm (4 in.) diameter cyclones as classifiers. Product, at nominal 8 µm to -10 µm, passes to secondary cleaning.

LEAD CLEANING
The primary cleaner consists of an eight cell rougher and a six cell scavenger, with all cells being DR300 units. The rougher concentrate passes to secondary regrind, while the scavenger concentrate is recycled back to the head of the primary cleaner. Primary cleaner tailings report directly to the primary cleaner scavenger via gravity.

The lead secondary cleaner consists of six DR300 cells, with total secondary concentrate passing to tertiary cleaning. Secondary cleaner tailings combine with the rougher concentrate as feed to the regrind cyclone ahead of the primary cleaner.

The cleaner scavenger tailings join with the rougher scavenger tailings to make up the feed to the zinc circuit.

LEAD DEWATERING
The final lead concentrate from the fourth cleaner is pumped to a 4.6 m (15 ft) diameter conventional thickener for recovery of the excess water.

ZINC CIRCUIT
Combined lead rougher scavenger and cleaner scavenger tailings will combine as feed to the zinc circuit.

CONDITIONING
A single conditioner is utilized as a reagent addition stage to allow activation and promotion of the zinc mineralization, and to adjust the pH for pyrite depression.

ZINC ROUGHER-SCAVENGER
Overflow from the conditioners gravitates to a combined zinc rougher-scavenger circuit of eighteen cells, with the rougher being a bank of twelve DR300 cells, and the scavenger a bank of six DR500 units.

ZINC REGRIND
The combined rougher and scavenger concentrate is pumped to a single-stage regrind ball mill. All mill feed reports to the cyclone feed box for classification in a battery of 254 mm (10 in.) diameter Krebs cyclones, with a product of nominal 80% passing 14 µm. The cyclone underflow recycles to the regrind mill, maintaining the regrind in closed circuit. The cyclone overflow passes by gravity to the cleaner circuit for upgrading to final concentrate specification.

ZINC CLEANERS
The cleaner circuit consists of a four-stage cleaning plant, with the final three stages of cleaning operating in closed circuit, with the tailings of each cleaning stage reporting to the feed of the previous stage. The primary cleaner operates in open circuit, with the tailings passing directly to the cleaner scavenger feed.

The primary cleaner consists of a single bank of eleven DR500 cells, with total primary cleaner concentrate product passing directly to the secondary cleaner bank of seven DR300 cells. Tailings from the secondary cleaner recycles to the regrind mill, while the total secondary concentrate passes to the tertiary cleaner, a bank of five DR300 cells operating in open circuit. Tailings report to the second cleaner feed pump, while the third cleaner concentrate is delivered to the fourth cleaner of four DR300 cells, operating as the final cleaner bank. Tailings recycle to the third cleaner feed pump, while the product, as final concentrate, will be delivered to the dewatering section.

ZINC DEWATERING
The final zinc concentrate from the fourth cleaner is pumped to a 12 m (40 ft) diameter conventional thickener for recovery of the excess water. The underflow, at approximately 60% solids, is pumped to a holding stock tank ahead of the VPA 1515-33 plate and frame filter. Filtrate from the filter operation is recycled to the zinc thickener. Thickener overflow is pumped to the tailings pond.

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter2021202020192018201720162015
Zinc Recovery Rate, % 78.478.179.175.6777765.8
Zinc Head Grade, % 5.55.55.75.95.945.975.31
Zinc Concentrate Grade, % 47.245.64746.9484748.3
Lead Recovery Rate, % 61.762.263.661.8635848.3
Lead Head Grade, % 2.12.12.32.32.552.661.99
Lead Concentrate Grade, % 37.33638.738.8393937.6
Silver Recovery Rate, % 34.33337.636.43936
Silver Head Grade, g/t 65.359.165.362.269.471.2
Silver Concentrate Grade, oz/t 637.61664.36654.72

Production:
In January 2021, Trevali announced the planned restart of its Caribou operations, which had been placed on care and maintenance in March 2020, with mining activities resuming in February 2021 and the first payable zinc production delivered in March 2021.

CommodityProductUnits2022202120202019201820172016
Zinc Payable metal M lbs 60-68 ^411575728037
Lead Payable metal M lbs 20-23 ^13530253114
Silver Payable metal koz 530-600 ^400100700700890402
Zinc Concentrate kt 849143
Lead Concentrate kt 323917
Gold Payable metal oz 1,005449
Zinc Equivalent Payable metal lbs 115,715,89555,173,589
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics202120202019201820172016
Ore tonnes mined 518,639 t191,817 t909,298 t887,141 t937,459 t449,488 t
Tonnes milled 518,541 t195,305 t913,178 t884,529 t945,436 t436,730 t
Daily milling capacity 3,000 t3,000 t3,000 t3,000 t3,000 t
Daily mining capacity 3,000 t of ore
Daily milling rate

Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Mineral Reserve estimate is reported based on optimized stopes designed on an incremental net smelter return cut-off value of $80/tonne with average metal prices of: $1.25/lb zinc, $1.00/lb lead and $25.00/oz silver.
Mineral Resource estimate is reported based on a cut-off grade of 5% zinc equivalent.

CategoryTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Proven 1.75 Mt Zinc 6.13 % 236 M lbs
Proven 1.75 Mt Lead 2.21 % 85 M lbs
Proven 1.75 Mt Silver 65.92 g/t 3,707 koz
Probable 2.66 Mt Zinc 5.67 % 332 M lbs
Probable 2.66 Mt Lead 2.14 % 125 M lbs
Probable 2.66 Mt Silver 65.39 g/t 5,584 koz
Proven & Probable 4.41 Mt Zinc 5.85 % 568 M lbs
Proven & Probable 4.41 Mt Lead 2.17 % 211 M lbs
Proven & Probable 4.41 Mt Silver 65.6 g/t 9,291 koz
Measured 6.82 Mt Zinc 6.55 % 984 M lbs
Measured 6.82 Mt Lead 2.44 % 367 M lbs
Measured 6.82 Mt Silver 71.49 g/t 15,664 koz
Indicated 4.91 Mt Zinc 6.31 % 683 M lbs
Indicated 4.91 Mt Lead 2.49 % 270 M lbs
Indicated 4.91 Mt Silver 75.03 g/t 11,846 koz
Measured & Indicated 11.73 Mt Zinc 6.45 % 1,667 M lbs
Measured & Indicated 11.73 Mt Lead 2.46 % 636 M lbs
Measured & Indicated 11.73 Mt Silver 72.97 g/t 27,510 koz
Inferred 2.61 Mt Zinc 5.68 % 327 M lbs
Inferred 2.61 Mt Lead 2.4 % 138 M lbs
Inferred 2.61 Mt Silver 72.61 g/t 6,099 koz

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits202220212020201920182017
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Zinc USD 1.15 / lb ^†   1.16 / lb†   1.71 / lb†   1.17 / lb†   1.14 / lb†   0.72 / lb†  
C1 cash costs Zinc USD 0.89 / lb ^†   0.86 / lb†   1.42 / lb†   1.03 / lb†   0.85 / lb†   0.62 / lb†  
^ Guidance / Forecast.
† Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs:

Units2019201820172016
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD 736858.657.5

Financials:

Units2022202120202019201820172016
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD 12.5  
Sustaining costs M USD 8.2  2.9  10.8   20.9   8.1   4.4  
Revenue M USD 54.4  11.9  75.2   0.1   118.4   56  
EBIT M USD -6  -75.8  -11.6   -0.1   42.1  
EBITDA M USD 6.4  -73  1.4   0   56  



Heavy Mobile Equipment as of May 11, 2017:
Source: Source p.2
HME TypeModelSizeQuantity
Drill Sandvik DL421 1
Drill jumbo (two boom) Sandvik DD321 2
Scoop Tram Sandvik LH514 8 cu. yd 5
Truck (underground) Sandvik TH540 40 t 7

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
Mill Maintenance Superintendent Eric Bétournay LinkedIn Apr 26, 2022
VP Operations Marie-Claude Dumont LinkedIn Apr 26, 2022

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
124 149 273 2021
14 4 28 2020
259 90 349 2019
249 111 360 2018
252 115 367 2017
170 2016

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
Corporate Presentation 2022
Annual Information Form 2021
Corporate Presentation 2021
Management Discussion & Analysis 2021
Annual Information Form 2020
Corporate Presentation 2020
Corporate Presentation 2020
Management Discussion & Analysis 2020
Annual Information Form 2019
Financial Review 2019
Management Discussion & Analysis 2019
Management Discussion & Analysis 2019
Press Release 2019
Press Release 2019
Annual Information Form 2018
Management Discussion & Analysis 2018
Other 2018
Press Release 2018
Technical Report 2018
Annual Information Form 2017
Corporate Presentation 2017
Management Discussion & Analysis 2017
Press Release 2017
Press Release 2017
Annual Information Form 2016
Management Discussion & Analysis 2016
Press Release 2016
Annual Information Form 2015
Management Discussion & Analysis 2015
Preliminary Economic Assessment 2015

Aerial view:

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