Overview
| Stage | Pre-Feasibility |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Mine Life | 32 years (as of Jan 1, 2014) |
The Hall Mine Complex (formerly Liberty) is centered on a porphyry Cu-Mo system in the Western flanks of the San Antonio Mountains.
Pathfinder Tonopah’s current exploration work is focused on understanding the molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) resources and their upside potential, reviewing their technical aspects, and evaluating how to most beneficially unlock their value.
Pathfinder Tonopah's copper, molybdenum and silver mine will provide a domestic supply of critical minerals from a historic mining site. Pathfinder Tonopah's SmartMine™ process will utilize leading technologies to mine responsibly, using on-site generated solar energy and an emphasis on efficiently multitasking resources in the mine complex. |
Source:
p. 1
About 30 minutes north of Tonopah sits the Liberty Mine Complex, which was acquired by a company called Pathfinder Development Corp. in 2022.
Pathfinder Development Corporation is developing a portfolio of integrated opportunities, including critical mineral development through Pathfinder Tonopah and renewable energy generation through Pathfinder Energy Developments.
Contractors
- Subscription is required.
Deposit Type
- Vein / narrow vein
- Porphyry
Summary:
Base metal mineralization in the Liberty deposit consists of molybdenite (MoS2), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), chalcocite (Cu2S), galena (PbS), sphalerite (ZnS), tetrahedrite (Cu8Sb2S7), and pyrite (FeS2). Molybdenite occurs mainly in 0.1" to 1.2"-wide quartz veins and veinlets in amounts that range from 0.1% to more than 40% by volume, typically as a selvage on vein walls. Molybdenite is also found in wider (+1.2”) quartz veins, but these are much less common in occurrence. Chalcopyrite and pyrite also are common but lesser vein/veinlet constituents. Galena, sphalerite, and lesser tetrahedrite occur with quartz in separate generations of base metal veins and veinlets that were emplaced at the end of each mineralization pulse (Shaver, 1991).
In general, molybdenum-bearing quartz veins and veinlets are more concentrated along the margins of the Hall stock, forming an irregular shell or sleeve of higher grade mineralization around a lower grade core. However, the intensity of quartz veining does not correlate directly with higher grade molybdenum – barren quartz veins are common within the deposit. Disseminated molybdenite is rare, occurring only in a 100'- to 200'- thick portion of the North Hall stock as replacements in biotite and/or plagioclase sites (Shaver, 1991). In addition to quartz, minor gangue minerals present in the veins and veinlets include fluorite, scheelite, tourmaline, gearksutite, and creedite, with siderite, dolomite, and calcite occurring as vug fillin ........
Summary:
The Liberty mine project will employ conventional hard rock, open pit mining methods. Ore production to the mill is planned at 26,500 short tons per day (st/d) (9,673,000 short tons per year). The mine plan and production schedule was developed with the goal of filling the mill at the required ore rate and maximizing the project return on investment. The total material rate starts at 32 million short tons per year (Mst/y) for the first six years and then ramps up to 42 Mst/y for six years before reducing to lower levels for the last half of the mine life.
The mining bench height is 40 ft high. Drilling will be completed with 2 and later 3 rotary blast hole rigs with 75,000 lb pull down capacity. Blasted rock will be loaded into 150-ton haul trucks using 2 hydraulic shovels of 27 cubic yard capacity and 1 front-end-loader of with a 27 cubic yard bucket.
Source:
- subscription is required.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
- subscription is required.
Projected Production:
| Commodity | Units | Avg. Annual | LOM |
|
Molybdenum
|
M lbs
| 13 | 402 |
|
Copper
|
M lbs
| ...... | ...... |
All production numbers are expressed as payable metal.
Operational Metrics:
| Metrics | |
|
Daily ore mining rate
| 26,500 tons * |
|
Daily milling capacity
| 26,500 tons * |
|
Annual milling capacity
| 9.67 M tons * |
|
Stripping / waste ratio
| 1.78 * |
|
Waste tonnes, LOM
| 550 M tons * |
|
Ore tonnes mined, LOM
| 310 M tons * |
|
Total tonnes mined, LOM
| 859 M tons * |
|
Tonnes milled, LOM
| 309 M tons * |
* According to 2014 study.
Reserves at July 30, 2014:
Mineral Reserves Cutoff Grade is $8.83 NSR/ton, based on metal prices of $12.00/lb molybdenum and $3.00/lb copper.
Mineral Resources Cutoff Grade is $7.05 NSR/ton, based on metal prices of $15.00/lb molybdenum and $3.00/lb copper.
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Proven
|
92,489 k tons
|
Molybdenum
|
0.101 %
|
187 M lbs
|
|
Proven
|
92,489 k tons
|
Copper
|
0.056 %
|
104 M lbs
|
|
Probable
|
216,727 k tons
|
Molybdenum
|
0.068 %
|
295 M lbs
|
|
Probable
|
216,727 k tons
|
Copper
|
0.116 %
|
503 M lbs
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
309,216 k tons
|
Molybdenum
|
0.078 %
|
482 M lbs
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
309,216 k tons
|
Copper
|
0.098 %
|
606 M lbs
|
|
Measured
|
125,538 k tons
|
Molybdenum
|
0.093 %
|
233.5 M lbs
|
|
Measured
|
125,538 k tons
|
Copper
|
0.051 %
|
128 M lbs
|
|
Indicated
|
440,621 k tons
|
Molybdenum
|
0.06 %
|
528.7 M lbs
|
|
Indicated
|
440,621 k tons
|
Copper
|
0.094 %
|
828.4 M lbs
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
566,159 k tons
|
Molybdenum
|
0.067 %
|
762.2 M lbs
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
566,159 k tons
|
Copper
|
0.084 %
|
956.4 M lbs
|
|
Inferred
|
148,598 k tons
|
Molybdenum
|
0.052 %
|
154.5 M lbs
|
|
Inferred
|
148,598 k tons
|
Copper
|
0.115 %
|
341.8 M lbs
|
Mine Management:
| Job Title | Name | Profile | Ref. Date |
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
|
Jan 6, 2023
|
- Subscription is required.
- Subscription is required.