The Tucano gold deposits are hosted in shear zones within a number of different Paleoproterozoic, metasedimentary host rocks. This mineralization style is considered to represent an orogenic, structurally controlled gold mineralizing system.

The mineralization at the Tucano Gold Mine occurs in a series of deposits over a sevenkilometre strike length associated with a north-south trending shear zone occurring coincident with a north-south line of topographic ridges. The shear zone is hosted by the Proterozoic aged Vila Nova greenstone belt and occurs near the contact of a large dominantly clastic/ chemical sedimentary package to the southwest and amphibolitic package to the northwest. The greenstone belt has been extensively intruded by younger mafic to felsic intrusive bodies.

From south to north, these deposits have been named TAP A, B, C, and Urucum. TAP D is a separate structure in the west. Higher grades are associated with the more intensely hydrothermally altered iron formations and iron rich carbonate units bounding and intercalated with them.

The texture and mineralogy along the shear zone indicate a high-temperature hydrothermal system. The interaction of favourable rock type, structure, heat, and mineralized solutions has resulted in the deposition of gold bearing, non-refractory sulphides concentrated near or on major lithological contacts. This mineralized zone exhibits intense hydrothermal alteration, particularly silicification a ........

The Tucano Gold Mine is a well-established open pit mining operation comprising four open pits, Urucum, Urucum East, TAP AB, and Duckhead.

Open pit mining is currently being undertaken by the mine contractor. In 2022, Great Panther engaged a new open pit mining contractor, Minax: Transportes e Construções Ltda (“Minax”) to initially operate in parallel with the existing contractor that is scheduled to cease activities at the end of year. Mobilization of the new mining contractor has already begun and will continue into mid-2022. The new contractor is a Brazilian company using a new mining fleet, which will contribute to an improvement in overall mine performance. In addition to earthmoving responsibilities for both waste and ore, the contractors are responsible for production drilling, pre-shear drilling, pit dewatering, ore re-handle, crusher feed, maintenance and supervision of their fleet of equipment.

Haulage ramps were designed at 12 m width for 30 m³ class trucks and two-way traffic. For the final four benches in the bottom of the final pit design, the haul road was narrowed to a width of 10 m, suitable for single-lane traffic. The maximum ramp gradient is 10%. All roads required a cap of crushed rock to facilitate all-season use.

Pits were designed with 4 m operating bench heights. For pits with catch benches at 12 m intervals and increased to 6 m wide (previously 4 m) to assist maintenance. It may be possible in some higher elevation a ........

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The existing Tucano Gold Mine flowsheet consists of a primary jaw crusher feeding a SAG mill/ball mill (SAB) grinding circuit with no pebble crusher. The ground ore is then thickened prior to being treated in a “hybrid” CIL plant consisting of a new single pre-leach tank followed by the original six tank CIL and carbon elution circuit followed by detoxification of tailings.

The design is currently based upon mining and processing of 3.4 Mtpa of ore and treating a blend of ore which is predominantly (90%) of the harder sulphide ore type.

“HYBRID” CIL
The Hybrid CIL circuit consists of one 2,650 m3 pre-leach tank followed by six 2,650 m3 (live volume) CIL tanks.

All seven tanks operate in series. Launders connect the tanks to allow slurry to flow by gravity through the tank train.
Each tank is fitted with a 110 kW mechanical agitator to ensure uniform mixing. Oxygen is currently maintained in the pre-leach Tank 1 at > 15ppm via a dedicated pul ........