Mining Intelligence and News
Kazakhstan

Suzdal Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
  • Avoca
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SnapshotSuzdal is one of the most technologically advanced gold mining operations in the world and a long-time pioneer in the implementation of the best and most innovative operating methodologies.

In light of the sanctions and ongoing regulatory actions, Nord Gold PLC's production numbers for the year 2022 are not available.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Nord Gold plc 100 % Indirect
The Suzdal mine is owned 100% by JSC FIC Alel, which is in turn held 100% by Nordgold.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Carlin-type

Summary:

The Suzdal deposit is located on the northwest flank of the Western Kalba gold-bearing belt, Semipalatinsk Irtysh Region (Semey Ertis), Eastern Kazakhstan, in which numerous gold deposits and gold occurrences of different types are hosted in carbonaceous black shales and clastic rocks of Carboniferous age (Kovalev et al., 2009). The Western Kalba belt is considered a terrigenous accretionary complex, located between island arcs of Devonian–Carboniferous age–Rudnyi Altai in the north-east and Zharma-Saur to the south-west, and divided into two metallogenic zones. The Char – Zimunai Belt with Ni-Co and Au mineralization on the southwest and the West Kalba-Koksentau gold zone in the northeast (Kovalev et al., 2012).

The Suzdal deposit is located at the juncture of the NW-trending Char-Gornostai-Zimunai and NE- trending Suzdal fault zones, hosted in carbonaceous carbonate-clastic rocks of the Arkalyk Formation of Serpukhovian stage. These rocks are thrust northeastward over the continental deposits of the Maitubinsk Formation, along the NW-trending Gornostai overthrust.

The host rocks of the deposit comprise calcareous and carbonaceous siltstone, marl alternating with limestone lenses, and limestones. The mineralization is located within a 4 km long and 300 to 400 m wide, NE-trending Suzdal fault-controlled zone as SW-oriented en-echelon structures with dips of 40° to 90° SE (Kovalev et al., 2009).

Gold deposits hosted in carbonate and clastic sedimentary rocks are usually compared with the Carlin-type deposits. While there are several variants of Carlin-type deposits suggested, the Suzdal deposit shows similarities to two subtypes; those hosted in carbonaceous carbonate clastic rock and those hosted in black shale. Although genesis of gold mineralization is still in controversy, a multistage and polygenic character for mineralization in Suzdal deposit is proposed. Most of the gold mineralization is concentrated in silicified and decalcified calcareous polymictic breccias of both sedimentary and tectonic origin, typical of most Carlin-type deposits.

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

CommodityUnits2021202020192018201720162015
Gold koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe7684928175
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.

Operational metrics

Metrics202020192018201720162015
Plant annual capacity  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe553 kt552 kt528 kt551 kt536 kt
Waste  ....  Subscribe371 kt358 kt378 kt220 kt
Total tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe925 kt911 kt907 kt771 kt
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe546 kt551 kt549 kt543 kt575 kt

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2020201920182017
Total cash costs Gold USD  ....  Subscribe 633 / oz **   602 / oz **   510 / oz **  
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold USD  ....  Subscribe 864 / oz **   756 / oz **   628 / oz **  
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency20202019201820172016
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD 35.5  36.1  34.6  34.7  27.5  

Financials

Units20212020201920182017
Capital expenditures M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 17.6   12.8   12  
Sustaining costs M USD  ....  Subscribe 17.6   12.8   10.8  
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 107.1   105   115.8  
EBITDA M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 59   54.7   68.9  
Operating Cash Flow M USD

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Aug 4, 2023

EmployeesYear
...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required 2021
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Aerial view:

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