Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Production Start | ... |
Mine Life | 2033 |
Gold Fields is pleased to announce that its Salares Norte Project has commenced production with the delivery of first gold on Thursday, 28 March 2024.
Circuit A and Circuit B of the processing plant have now been commissioned by the Project and are being handed over to the operational team. Ramp up of the Project to steady state is expected for 2024. |
Latest News | Gold Fields produces first gold at Salares Norte in Chile April 2, 2024 |
Source:
p. 429
The Salares Norte project is 100% owned by Gold Fields through its shareholding in Minera Gold Fields Salares Norte SpA (MGFSN).
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Epithermal
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
- Porphyry
Summary:
Deposit types
Two broad stages of mineralisation are recognised at Salares Norte: an early porphyry mineralisation/barren epithermal lithocap stage and a later fertile high-sulphidation epithermal stage with evidence of overprinting of the mineralising events.
The main (fertile) epithermal mineralisation stage, related to high-sulphidation fluids, is the most important stage given that it is associated with the gold and silver mineralisation discovered to date. This main mineralisation stage is subdivided into three discrete events, which have been determined based on cross-cutting relationships and mineralogical observations, followed by supergene oxidation.
Alterations and Mineralisation
The hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation styles observed at Salares Norte are typical of high-sulphidation epithermal deposits. Most low-grade gold mineralisation is related to alunite-quartz alteration. High-grade mineralisation is hosted in rocks with strong silica alteration, predominantly in polymictic breccia interpreted to have formed by phreatomagmatic explosions with overprinting of phreatic/hydrothermal breccias. A smaller portion of the mineralisation is hosted by fine-grained fragmental units including laminated facies. These were originally interpreted as tuffs but are now thought to represent, at least in part, fine-grained micro-breccia sills.
The high gold grade-related advanced argillic alteration (mainly alunite-quartz altera ........
Summary:
Mining is performed by a contractor using conventional open-pit drill, blast, load and haul mining methods. Mining will occur in six phases over nine years, including two years of pre-stripping starting in Brecha Principal and finishing in Agua Amarga. Ultimately, the two pits will merge into a single pit due to the backslope design. Waste will be placed in either the south or north waste storage facility (WSF). All ore will be hauled to either the ROM pad or one of the grade-bin stockpiles south of the pits. An alternative underground mining option is being considered for Agua Amarga but no decision has been made to pursue this yet. All Agua Armaga’s Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves are thus based on an open-pit scenario.
Mining at Salares Norte will be carried out using conventional open pit methods. The life of mine plan is based on a contractor mining model. Grade control drilling will precede production drilling and blasting.
Waste will be mined on 15 m benches in a single pass with ore benches split into three 5 m flitches. With 15 m benches, the required development rate is achieved by mining nine benches per annum. Mining the 15 m benches in 5 m flitches in the ore zone also allows production to be maintained while minimising dilution and loss. The average mining rate is 39 Mt/a with the maximum mining rate of 44 Mt/a achieved in Years 3 to 5.
Mine equipment and facility requirements are based on working seven days per week, 365 ........
Source:
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Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Pipelines and Water Supply
Source:
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Reserves at December 31, 2023:
Mineral Reserves NSR for mill feed US$75.74;
Mineral Resources NSR for mill feed US$54.64 - 73.95.
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Probable
|
Stockpiles
|
2,258 kt
|
Gold
|
7.7 g/t
|
557 koz
|
Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
15,877 kt
|
Gold
|
5.6 g/t
|
2,859 koz
|
Probable
|
Total
|
18,136 kt
|
Gold
|
5.9 g/t
|
3,416 koz
|
Probable
|
Stockpiles
|
2,258 kt
|
Silver
|
73.4 g/t
|
5,328 koz
|
Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
15,877 kt
|
Silver
|
71.7 g/t
|
36,613 koz
|
Probable
|
Total
|
18,136 kt
|
Silver
|
71.9 g/t
|
41,941 koz
|
Indicated
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
2,294 kt
|
Gold
|
2.3 g/t
|
170 koz
|
Indicated
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
2,294 kt
|
Silver
|
29.4 g/t
|
2,168 koz
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
200 kt
|
Gold
|
1.6 g/t
|
10 koz
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
200 kt
|
Silver
|
13.5 g/t
|
86 koz
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | 2024 |
All-in costs
|
Gold Equivalent
|
USD
|
......
|
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Financials:
| Units | 2023 |
Sustaining costs
|
M USD
| ...... |
Growth Capital
|
M USD
| ...... |
Capital expenditures
|
M USD
| ...... |
After-tax Income
|
M USD
| ...... |
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News:
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