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Brazil

Serra Azul Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start1946
Mine Life2057
SnapshotFollowing the integration of the Serra Azul Mine into ArcelorMittal Brasil in 2020, an expansion project for the Serra Azul Mine has been approved. The project considers producing 4.5 million tonnes per annum of DRI quality pellet feed by processing compact itabirite ("IC") and semi-compact itabirite ("ISC") material. The IC and ISC processing plant operations are scheduled to start in the second half of 2024.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
ArcelorMittal SA 100 % Indirect
ArcelorMittal Brasil S.A. (operator) 100 % Direct
Serra Azul Mine is 100% owned and operated by ArcelorMittal Brasil.

Deposit type

  • Banded iron formation

Summary:

The Caue Formation of the Paleoproterozoic Minas Supergroup hosts banded iron formations (BIFs), locally called itabirites, deposited in shallow marine passive margin settings. Two major compositional types of itabirite, dolomitic and quartz itabirites, are found in the northwestern part of QF. The former consists of alternating dolomite-rich and hematite-rich bands, whereas the latter is formed with alternating quartz-rich and hematite-rich bands. Accessory minerals are chlorite, sericite, and apatite in both types.

The Serra Azul mine is located in the North-Eastern portion of the Iron Quadrangle, in the iron rich Cauê Formation of the Itabira Group. The mineralization occurs as friable, semi compact and compact Itabirites and banded hematite-silica rocks, with varying degrees of weathering and oxidation.

Both the Andrade and Serra Azul mines are located in the Iron Quadrangle (Quadrilátero Ferrífero), a widely-explored and mined region. The mineralization occurs as Itabirites, banded hematite-silica rocks, with varying weathering degrees.

The Serra Azul, westernmost section of the Serra do Curral, is 14 kilometers long. The east end of the section, a little less than 1 kilometer long, is in the southwest corner of the Igarape" quadrangle.

The large part of the range is in the Serra Azul and Itatiaiugu quadrangles. More than 11 kilometers of the crest of the Serra Azul is overlain by three long narrow canga sheets and associated rolado deposits. From east to west the three canga sheets are approximately 4, 5.5, and 2 kilometers long, respectively. A fourth canga sheet, 1.1 kilometers long and 250 meters wide, lies on the north side of the range at its east end and near the head of Corrego da Pedra Grande.

The canga and rolado deposits on the range crest mostly overlie the Caue" Itabtrite, but both the east and middle sheets locally overlie the Cercadinho Formation, which occurs near the range crest on the north side of the range, and the Caraga Group which occurs on the south side of the crest. The middle canga layer extends as much as half a kilometer south of the range crest, covering a dip slope of overturned Caue Itabirite. The canga sheet north of the range caps a pediment overlying the Fecho do Funil Formation, TaboSes Quartzite, and Sabara Formation. The canga deposits cover 2,300,000 square meters and have an average thickness of 2 meters. The rolado deposits have an aerial distribution of 200,000 square meters and an average thickness of 1 meter. The canga is estimated to average 62 percent iron; the rolado, 60 percent iron. Eight canga samples had an average iron content of 63.34 percent

Reserves at December 31, 2023

Iron ore reserve and resources estimates are including Serra Azul and Andrade mines.

Mineral reserves for Serra Azul are estimated at 40% Fe cut-off grade and a mass recovery of 52.8% for friable material, and 29% Fe cut-off grade and a mass recovery varying from 33% to 45% for compact material.

Mineral resources for Serra Azul are estimated at 40% Fe cut-off grade and a mass recovery of 52.8% for friable material.
CategoryTonnage CommodityGrade
Proven 176 Mt Iron 46.6 %
Probable 251 Mt Iron 37.3 %
Proven & Probable 427 Mt Iron 41.1 %
Measured 89 Mt Iron 51 %
Indicated 187 Mt Iron 48 %
Measured & Indicated 276 Mt Iron 49 %
Inferred 105 Mt Iron 40.4 %

Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader

Summary:

ArcelorMittal Mineração Serra Azul mine is a production stage open pit iron ore mine.

Currently, Serra Azul mines and processes the friable itabirite with the Serra Azul expansion project contemplating the mining and processing of semi-compact and compact ores.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
SAG mill 38' 2

Processing

  • Crush & Screen plant
  • Spiral concentrator / separator
  • Jig plant
  • Gravity separation
  • Magnetic separation

Summary:

The Serra Azul mine operates a processing plant consisting of a crushing facility and a three-line concentration facility, including screening, magnetic separation, spirals separators and jigging. Iron ore product is transported by truck to two railway terminals located 35 and 50 kilometers from the mine site for distribution to local purchasers of sinter feed or for export through third-party port facilities located in the Rio de Janeiro State.

Following the integration of the Serra Azul Mine into ArcelorMittal Brazil in 2020, an expansion project for the Serra Azul Mine has been approved. The project considers producing 4.5 million tonnes per annum of DRI quality pellet feed by processing compact itabirite (IC) and semi-compact itabirite (ISC) material. The IC and ISC processing plant operations are scheduled to start in the second half of 2024 and estimated reserves for IC and ISC have been included in the Serra Azul life of mine, which has been extended until 2057.

Production

CommodityUnits202320222021202020192018201720162015
Iron Ore Mt 1.51.51.61.60.91.31.61.62
All production numbers are expressed as lump & fines.

Operational metrics

Metrics20232022202120202019
Ore tonnes mined 2.7 Mt2.6 Mt2.6 Mt2.6 Mt1.7 Mt

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Ref. Date: December 31, 2019

SourceSource
HME TypeModelSize
Backhoe Liebherr R954 4 m3
Backhoe Caterpillar 416 86 HP
Drill Sandvik DX800
Loader Liebherr L580 4.5 m3
Truck Scania
Truck (haul) Scania 34 t
Truck (haul) Caterpillar D6 200 HP
Truck (haul) Caterpillar 140 M 183 HP

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
Chief, Procurement Raquel Pittella Cancado LinkedIn Mar 21, 2024
Engineering Manager Jose Leal LinkedIn Mar 21, 2024
Purchasing Manager Cristiano Quadros LinkedIn Mar 21, 2024

Aerial view: