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Canada
Gibraltar Mine

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 Location:
41 km N from Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada

  Address:
10251 Gibraltar Mine Road
PO Box 130
McLeese Lake
British Columbia, Canada
V0L 1P0
Phone  ...  Subscription required
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeOpen Pit
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Molybdenum
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Processing
  • Dewatering
  • Filter press plant
  • Flotation
  • ROM/dump leach
  • Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
Mine Life23 years (as of Jan 1, 2021)
Gibraltar Mine is one of the largest copper mines in North America.
Latest NewsTaseko Announces A 40% Increase In Gibraltar Proven And Probable Reserves     March 30, 2022


Owners

Source: p. 13-14
CompanyInterestOwnership
Taseko Mines Ltd. 75 % Indirect
Taseko owns 100% of Gibraltar Mines Ltd., which owns 75% of the Gibraltar Joint Venture.

On March 31, 2010, Taseko established an unincorporated joint venture (“JV”) between Gibraltar Mines Ltd., and Cariboo Copper Corp. (“Cariboo”) over the Gibraltar copper and molybdenum mine, whereby Cariboo acquired a 25% interest in the Gibraltar Mine and Taseko retained a 75% interest with Gibraltar Mines Ltd. operating the mine for the two JV participants. Cariboo is a Japanese consortium jointly owned by Sojitz Corporation (50%), Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. (25%) and Furukawa Co., Ltd. (25%).

Deposit Type

  • Porphyry


Summary:

The Gibraltar open pit mine is a calc-alkalic porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit entirely hosted by the Late Triassic Granite Mountain batholith.

Primary hypogene copper mineralization in the form of disseminated and vein-hosted chalcopyrite predominates at Gibraltar. Minor bornite occurs typically in the east and northeast portions of the deposit. Molybdenite occurs mainly in quartz veins and fractures, and rarely as matrix disseminations. Sphalerite occurs in the Extension deposit, and is especially abundant in the TK Zinc zone farther west. Mineralization in the Granite, Pollyanna, and Connector deposits is hosted in massive to strongly foliated zones. In contrast, mineralization in the Gibraltar, Extension, and TK Zinc zones is almost entirely hosted in strongly foliated shear zones.

Pyrite and chalcopyrite are the principal primary sulphide minerals of the Gibraltar deposits. Fine-grained chalcopyrite, generally barely visible without magnification, accounts for 60 percent of the copper content and constitutes the single most important form of copper mineralization. Most of this fine fraction is dispersed within the phyllosilicate foliation lamellae and forms the uniformly distributed grades of the Gibraltar porphyry-type ores. Coarser grained chalcopyrite usually occurs in quartz veins and shear zones. Pyrite mineralization generally shows some degree of segregation from chalcopyrite and, in the Pollyanna and Granite deposits, pyrite forms a halo or blanket of waste material above and away from the orebody. Large-scale pyrite zoning is also evident in the Gibraltar deposit but without the formation of a separate halo. The Connector zone displays mineralization features similar to both the Gibraltar and Pollyanna deposits. In the Gibraltar and Extension, pyrite is closely associated with the ore, often as massive zones 3 m to 7 m thick.

Small concentrations of other sulphides are present in the Gibraltar ores. Bornite, associated with magnetite and chalcopyrite, occurs along the low sulphur extremities of the Pollyanna deposit. Molybdenite is a minor but economically important associate of chalcopyrite in the Pollyanna, Granite, and Connector deposits. Small zones of molybdenum mineralization as molybdenite also occur in Gibraltar but are virtually absent in the Extension. Sphalerite is present in the Gibraltar deposit and particularly abundant in parts of the Extension. Both of these deposits also have elevated silver concentrations associated with copper mineralization. The above relationships suggest a metal zonation from Pollyanna to the Extension Zone that involves a westerly decrease of molybdenum and a corresponding increase of zinc and silver. Overall, in terms of large-scale metal zonation Gibraltar ranges from Cu±Mo in the east to Cu±Zn towards the west.

There is a close spatial relationship between sulphide mineralization and alteration in the Gibraltar deposits. The principal alteration minerals are chlorite, sericite, epidote, carbonate and quartz. Ore grade mineralization is associated mainly with sericite and chlorite. Epidote and the carbonate minerals are not common associates of strong sulphide mineralization. Quartz is common throughout the alteration sequence as both a relict host rock mineral and an introduced mineral.

Supergene mineralization and secondary enrichment occurs to varying degrees in the Gibraltar and Connector deposits and is interpreted to be a remnant of a pre- or inter-glacial period of weathering (Bysouth et al., 1995). Supergene enrichment is best developed in close association with pyrite-rich ore (> 3% pyrite). Supergene enrichment occurs directly beneath a leach cap, forming a blanket-like zone about 15 m to 30 m thick containing the supergene copper minerals chalcocite, digenite and covellite. Episodes of Pleistocene glaciation removed most of the Tertiary weathering surface elsewhere. The present zone of oxidation and leaching in other areas is generally confined to the upper 1 m to 3 m of the bedrock surface. Limited zones of oxidation may also occur to depths up to 100 m where structural controls have facilitated significant groundwater percolation.


Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader


Summary:

The Gibraltar deposits have been developed using open pit, truck and shovel mining methods since 1971. To date (March 2022), mining has progressed in several phases in the Gibraltar, Pollyanna, and Granite pits with future mining to continue in the Pollyanna and Gibraltar pits as well as the undeveloped Connector and Extension pit areas.

Mining operations supply 85,000 tons per day of ore at an average head-grade of 0.25% copper to two primary crushers which in-turn feed the two concentrators. During the 23-year mine life, a total of 699 million tons of sulphide ore, 17 million tons of oxide ore and 1,667 million tons of waste will be mined from the reserve pits at a strip ratio of 2.4. An additional 6 million tons of stockpiled ore will be processed.

For strategic and operational reasons surplus ore is stockpiled at various times during the mine life and for various amounts of time prior to processing. Waste rock is stored in various waste rock storage facilities next to the pits, as well as in previously mined pits after mining of those pits is complete. Suitable overburden waste is salvaged and stored separately for use in reclamation.

Pit Design
All the pits in the reserve plan are designed with a bench height of 50 ft, a bench face angle of 65 degrees. Safety berms are a minimum of 27 ft wide and are increased to achieve inter-ramp wall angles presented in Section 15 of this report. Haul ramps or 60 ft wide geotechnical safety berms are included every 350 vertical feet or 7 benches are included to provide additional catchment and break up large pit walls.

Haul roads are designed 120 ft wide to allow for double-lane haulage with allowances for berms and ditches. Single-lane, 90 ft wide roads are used to maximize ore extraction and mining width at pit bottoms. Road grades are limited to 10% with flat switchbacks.

Production Schedule
The reserve mine plan begins with mining already underway in the Pollyanna and Gibraltar pits. In 2023 mining will begin in the Connector pit, and in the following year activity in the Gibraltar Pit will cease temporarily. In 2025, mining in the Pollyanna pit will also cease temporarily. Connector pit will be the sole focus of mining activity from 2026 until 2028 when mining of the Gibraltar pit will restart. The Connector pit will be exhausted in 2031 and the Gibraltar pit will continue to be mined until 2038. The Extension pit and the remainder of the Pollyanna pit will be mined from 2036 to 2040 and 2040 to 2044 respectively.

The average mining rate over the operating life is 104 million tons per year. Sulphide ore moved (including stockpile rehandle) averages 33 million tons per year. Oxide ore is mined sporadically throughout the schedule with 90% of the total 17 million tons coming from the Connector Pit between 2024 and 2027.


Crushing and Grinding
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Gyratory crusher 60" x 89" 1
Gyratory crusher 54" x 74" 1
SAG mill 34' 13000 HP 2
Ball mill 20' 8500 HP 1
Ball mill 13.5' 2500 HP 6
Regrind ....................... Subscription required 1
Vertical mill / Tower ....................... Subscription required 1500 HP 2

Summary:

Bulk Concentrator #1
Gibraltar sulphide ore is processed through a single stage of crushing using a 60x89 gyratory crusher. This crusher produces a 6 inch minus product which is conveyed to a coarse ore stockpile. Material is drawn from the coarse ore stockpile using apron feeders and a conveyor belt to feed a 34 foot diameter, 13,000 Hp Semi-Autogeneous Grinding (SAG) mill. SAG mill discharge is screened with the oversize returning via conveyor belt to the feed of the mill. Undersize material, consisting of 0.5 inch minus, is then pumped to a distributor where six 13.5 foot diameter, 2500 Hp ball mills are operated in closed circuit with hydrocyclones to produce a minus 350 micron product used to feed the flotation circuit. Design mill throughput is 55,000 t/day.

Bulk Concentrator #2
Gibraltar sulphide ore is processed through a single stage of crushing using a 54x74 gyratory crusher. This crusher produces a 6 inch minus product which is conveyed to a coarse ore stockpile. Material is drawn from the coarse ore stockpile using apron feeders and a conveyor belt to feed a 34 foot diameter, 13,000 Hp Semi-Autogeneous Grinding (SAG) mill. SAG mill discharge is screened with the oversize returning via conveyor belt to the feed of the mill. Undersize material, consisting of 0.5 inch minus, is then pumped to a distributor where a single 20 foot diameter 8,500 Hp ball mill is operated in closed circuit with hydrocyclones to produce a minus 350 micron product used to feed the flotation circuit. Design mill throughput is 30,000 t/day.


Processing

  • Dewatering
  • Filter press plant
  • Flotation
  • ROM/dump leach
  • Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning

Source: Subscription required

Summary:

Sulphide ore is processed at a design rate of 85,000 t/day through two bulk concentrators to produce a concentrate which contains copper, silver and molybdenum values. The bulk concentrate from both facilities is combined and processed through a single molybdenum flotation plant. The molybdenum concentrate from this plant is dewatered and bagged, and subsequently shipped to market. The underflow from this plant is the final copper concentrate which includes silver as a by- product. The copper concentrate is dewatered and shipped in bulk to market.

A solvent extraction and electrowinning plant processes leachate from oxide waste dumps to produce a copper cathode product. This system is operated intermittently as conditions allow.

Bulk Concentrator #1
Flotation feed is pumped to two parallel rougher flotation circuits, each consisting of five 160m3 flotation vessels. Flotation tailings are then pumped to a storage facility. Rougher concentrate from the parallel ........

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter2021202020192018201720162015
Copper Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required82.784.185.585.1
Copper Head Grade, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required0.250.280.260.27
Molybdenum Recovery Rate, %  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required

Production:

CommodityProductUnits2022202120202019201820172016
Copper Metal in concentrate M lbs  ......  Subscription required ^  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required125133133
Molybdenum Metal in concentrate k lbs  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Metal in concentrate koz  ......  Subscription required
Copper Cathode M lbs
^ Guidance / Forecast.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics202120202019201820172016
Total tonnes mined  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required100.4 M tons111.6 M tons93.1 M tons87.6 M tons
Tonnes milled  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required29.9 M tons30.1 M tons29.8 M tons29.5 M tons
Stripping / waste ratio  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required2.6 2.7 3.4 1.5
Daily milling capacity  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required85,000 tons85,000 tons
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Gibraltar Mine Sulphide Mineral Reserves at 0.15%Copper Cut-off.

Gibraltar Mine Mineral Resources at 0.15%Copper Cut-off.

CategoryTonnage CommodityGrade
Proven 509 M tons Copper 0.25 %
Proven 509 M tons Molybdenum 0.008 %
Proven 509 M tons Copper Equivalent 0.27 %
Probable 191 M tons Copper 0.23 %
Probable 191 M tons Molybdenum 0.008 %
Probable 191 M tons Copper Equivalent 0.24 %
Proven & Probable 706 M tons Copper 0.25 %
Proven & Probable 706 M tons Molybdenum 0.008 %
Proven & Probable 706 M tons Copper Equivalent 0.26 %
Measured 845 M tons Copper 0.25 %
Measured 845 M tons Molybdenum 0.007 %
Measured 845 M tons Copper Equivalent 0.27 %
Indicated 370 M tons Copper 0.23 %
Indicated 370 M tons Molybdenum 0.007 %
Indicated 370 M tons Copper Equivalent 0.25 %
Measured & Indicated 1,215 M tons Copper 0.24 %
Measured & Indicated 1,215 M tons Molybdenum 0.007 %
Measured & Indicated 1,215 M tons Copper Equivalent 0.26 %
Inferred 78 M tons Copper 0.22 %
Inferred 78 M tons Molybdenum 0.004 %
Inferred 78 M tons Copper Equivalent 0.23 %

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits2021202020192018201720162015
Credits (by-product) Copper USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required -0.2 / lb -0.13 / lb -0.06 / lb -0.06 / lb
Site cash costs (produced) Copper USD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required 1.8 / lb 1.22 / lb 1.58 / lb 1.65 / lb
Site cash costs (produced) Copper USD  ......  Subscription required†  ......  Subscription required†  ......  Subscription required† 1.6 / lb† 1.09 / lb† 1.52 / lb† 1.59 / lb†
C1 cash costs Copper USD  ......  Subscription required†  ......  Subscription required†  ......  Subscription required† 1.93 / lb† 1.43 / lb† 1.85 / lb† 1.96 / lb†
† Net of By-Product.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operating Costs:

Units20212020201920182017201620152014
Total operating costs ($/ton milled) CAD 9.219.5910.99.717.489.479.8311.4

Financials:

Units2021202020192018201720162015
Capital expenditures M CAD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required63.6   86.1   14   14.2  
Revenue M CAD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required457.6   507.2   351.8   385.7  
After-tax Income M CAD  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required30.1   148.5   -18   -18.9  
Subscription required - Subscription is required


Heavy Mobile Equipment as of March 15, 2022:
HME TypeSizeQuantityStatus
Drill ....................... Subscription required Proposed
Drill (blasthole) 12.25 inch ....................... Subscription required Existing
Loader (FEL) 30 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required Existing
Shovel (rope) 56 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required Existing
Shovel (rope) 58 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required Existing
Shovel (rope) 44 cu. yd ....................... Subscription required Existing
Truck (haul) 320 tons ....................... Subscription required Existing
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Proposed
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 3, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 3, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 3, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 3, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Apr 3, 2022
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2021
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2020
Subscription required Subscription required Subscription required 2019
Subscription required 2016
Subscription required 2014

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
Corporate Presentation 2022
Technical Report 2022
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2021
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2020
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
Quarterly Report 2018
Corporate Presentation 2017
Quarterly Report 2017
Annual Report 2016
Management Discussion & Analysis 2016
Corporate Presentation 2015
Management Discussion & Analysis 2015
Technical Report 2015
Annual Report 2014
Project Description 2014
Management Discussion & Analysis 2013
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Taseko Announces A 40% Increase In Gibraltar Proven And Probable Reserves March 30, 2022
Taseko announces Gibraltar 2021 production and sales January 13, 2022

Aerial view:

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