Mining Intelligence and News
Argentina

Taca Taca Project

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StagePermitting
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Molybdenum
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotTaca Taca is one of the largest, highest-quality copper projects globally. It will consist of an open-pit copper mine and ore processing plant to produce up to 275,000 tonnes of copper per year along with gold and molybdenum by-products.

The primary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (“ESIA”) for the project, was submitted in 2019. In June 2023, the Company received a second set of observations to the ESIA from the mining authority and submitted its responses in October 2023. The Company anticipates receiving the ESIA approval in 2024 with subsequent proceedings for construction and operations permits.

Initial water use permit application submitted in Q3 2023 and granting of the concessions are expected to follow the ESIA approval. Phase 4 will start in Q2 2024 to examine potential deeper sources for brine water.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 100 % Indirect
The project is owned 100% by the First Quantum Minerals Ltd. through its Argentinian subsidiary Corriente Argentina S.A.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Porphyry
  • Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

Taca Taca has porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum mineralisation located in the southern half of a 50 km long Ordovician batholith, which forms the Sierra de Taca Taca mountain range. The Taca Taca mineralisation is hosted by plutonic rocks of granitic composition together with lesser dacite, dolerite, and rhyolite intrusions. The porphyry is characterised by kilometre-scale zones of hydrothermally altered rocks that grade from a central potassic core to outer phyllic and argillic zones. Phyllic alteration is most pervasive across the deposit and is closely associated with mineralisation.

Mineralisation is comprised of supergene (chalcocite) and hypogene (chalcopyrite) zones. A sub-surface leached horizon of varying thickness overlies the supergene and hypogene mineralisation. Mineralisation is disseminated and in fractures, veinlets, and quartz vein stockworks.

The leached horizon is largely depleted of copper mineralisation except for a zone of chalcocite-rich ore perched within the leached material to the east of the deposit. In addition, a zone of supergene gold mineralisation, close to surface, is present above the thickest portion of leached material.

Hypogene copper sulphides are mostly chalcopyrite with lesser bornite, chalcocite, covellite, and digenite. The mineralisation is broadly zoned with a chalcopyrite-bornite-molybdenite core yielding to a stronger pyritic halo around the outer edges. Supergene zones are mostly secondary sulphides formed by enrichment within a discontinuous blanket underneath the leached cap.

Supergene mineralisation is often variably mixed with hypogene mineralisation and is often due to deep-seated alteration along structures and host rocks. Fine-grained black chalcocite and lesser covellite are the main secondary copper sulphides.

Mineralisation remains open at depth and around several peripheral areas of the deposit.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Copper Concentrate kt 98628,500
Copper Payable metal M lbs 13,934
Copper Metal in copper conc. M lbs 49514,491
Gold Payable metal koz 2,747
Gold Metal in copper conc. koz 973,052
Molybdenum Concentrate kt 6.2200
Molybdenum Payable metal M lbs 162
Molybdenum Metal in concentrate M lbs 6.4188

Operational metrics

Metrics
Daily processing capacity  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe
Stripping / waste ratio  ....  Subscribe
Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Total tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2021 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
Assumed price Molybdenum USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Copper USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2021 study / presentation.

Operating Costs

Currency2021
OP mining costs ($/t mined) USD 1.69 *  
OP mining costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
G&A ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
Total operating costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2021 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Initial CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Expansion CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Sustaining CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Closure costs $M USD  ......  Subscribe
OP OpEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Processing OpEx $M USD 8,381
Refining and transportation $M USD  ......  Subscribe
G&A costs $M USD 1,847
Total OpEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Total Taxes $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Royalty payments $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Gross revenue (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax NPV @ 10% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax NPV @ 8% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 10% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameEmailProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 14, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 29, 2021

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