Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Sub-level stoping
- Backfill
|
Processing |
|
Source:
p. 45
The Colquijirca and Marcapunta Norte mines are wholly-owned by El Brocal. Currently, Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A owns 61.43% of El Brocal through both direct and indirect ownership interests.
Deposit Type
- Vein / narrow vein
- Epithermal
- Carbonate hosted
Summary:
The Colquijirca mine consists of three important polymetallic deposits: (1) Tajo NorteāSmelter, which contains zinc, silver and lead ore; (2) Marcapunta, which contains an auriferous mineralization in breccia oxides and an arsenic copper enargite mineralization as a continuation of the mineralized mantles of the Marcapunta Norte mine; and (3) San Gregorio, which contains zinc.
At Marcapunta Norte, mineralization is stratiform, in both the mineralized blankets emplaced in the limestone of the Calera Medio Formation, and in the mineralized breccia located in the unit below said formation. The vein of ore consists of a massive replacement of sulfides and the filling of open spaces, for which reason it has been classified as a cordillera deposit tied to the Marcapunta volcanic complex. Mineralization consists of a vein of arsenical copper (enargite) with Ag-Au values, with gangues of pyrite, quartz, and alunite.
Mining Methods
- Sub-level stoping
- Backfill
Summary:
The mining method in the Marcapunta mine (Underground) is sub level stoping with long pillars and backfill. This method is used to mine the Copper mantle that has an ore thickness up to 60 m. Mining is made by contactor with its own equipment. The equipment used for development are 2 arm jumbos with 6 yd3 underground loaders. The equipment used for production includes S7 top hammer Simbas with 6 yd3 underground loaders with remote control. Ore haulage to surface is done with 12 m3 15 m3 tipper trucks. Ore is taken to the process plant with 15 m3 and 20 m3 tipper trucks. In 2021, we are planning to use 9 yd3 underground loaders and in the hole hammer. Bench height is also being optimized in new zones from 20 m to 30 m.
Source:
Summary:
The ore from Marcapunta is treated in Plant 1, which uses the selective flotation process to achieve the concentration of the economic Cu mineralization. The concentrating plant is located in the Community of Huaraucaca, and includes the crushing, sorting, milling, conditioning, flotation, and filtering processes, as well as the respective tailings storage yards. Given the equipment characteristics and layout, the plant has the ability to beneficiate the copper ore from the Marcapunta Norte Mine. It has direct access to a railway, which is used to transport the concentrates to the port of El Callao.
Treatment capacity: The El Brocal processing plant has a total capacity of 20,000 MTD, which is shared by the ore from Marcapunta and Tajo Norte.
Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Silver
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | ......  | 61 | 63.1 | 62.2 | 58.4 |
Silver
|
Head Grade, oz/t
| ......  | ......  | 0.71 | 0.66 | 0.59 | 0.75 |
Gold
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | ......  | 39.8 | 49.9 | 58.9 | 50.9 |
Gold
|
Head Grade, g/t
| ......  | ......  | 0.51 | 0.56 | 0.53 | 0.31 |
Copper
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | ......  | 90.6 | 93.6 | 90.4 | 85.2 |
Copper
|
Head Grade, %
| ......  | ......  | 1.59 | 1.91 | 2.07 | 1.92 |
Production:
Commodity | Units | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Silver
|
oz
| ......  | ......  | 1,383,536 | 1,052,453 | 799,497 | 858,109 |
Gold
|
oz
| ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  |
Copper
|
t
| ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Ore tonnes mined
| ......  | 2,926,124 t | 3,204,262 t | 2,517,673 t | 2,597,926 t | 1,962,627 t |
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Reserves at December 31, 2020:
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | ContainedĀ Metal |
Proven & Probable
|
34,503 kt
|
Silver
|
1.15 oz/t
|
39,799 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
34,503 kt
|
Gold
|
0.023 oz/t
|
805 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
34,503 kt
|
Copper
|
1.3 %
|
450 kt
|
Measured & Indicated
|
21,582 kt
|
Silver
|
0.932 oz/t
|
20,105 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
21,582 kt
|
Gold
|
0.026 oz/t
|
551 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
21,582 kt
|
Copper
|
1.398 %
|
302 kt
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Cash costs (sold)
|
Copper
|
USD
|
......
|
......
|
5,487 / t
|
5,119 / t
|
4,651 / t
|
5,322 / t
|
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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Aerial view:
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