Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Processing |
- ROM/dump leach
- Rubblization
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
|
Mine Life | 18 years (as of Jan 1, 2016) |
Source:
p. 50,234
The Mining Division of Grupo Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (GMéxico) is controlled by Americas Mining Corporation (AMC) which operates the United States subsidiary - Asarco LLC (Asarco).
Asarco LLC includes the Mission, Ray and Silver Bell Arizona mines.
The Silver Bell mine is operated by Silver Bell Mine, LLC ("SBM") of which AR Silver Bell, Inc. ("AR SB") maintains 100% of its capital stock of which ASARCO, LLC maintains 100% of its capital stock.
Summary:
The Silver Bell district in Arizona provides a good example of various electrical and electromagnetic methods applied to the same porphyry copper deposits. Lowest resistivities in the Silver Bell area corresponded with the quartz monzonite porphyry and with zones of sericitic alteration. Likewise, highest IP responses were associated with sericitic alteration. The low resistivities at Silver Bell are caused by the strongly fractured nature of the porphyry system, particularly in sericitic zones, and its interconnected sulfide veinlets. Sericitic zones are highly conductive because of intense fracturing, abundant pyrite mineralization, and sericitic alteration. The higher resistivities of the potassic zone, on the other hand, reflect silicification, disseminated sulfides (as opposed to sulfides deposited in veinlets), and overall less abundant sulfide and clay minerals. Propylitic zones are less fractured and have much lower total sulfides and, thus, higher resistivities. Resistivity weakly correlates with the leached cap and underlying zones of enrichment.
Summary:
The mine operates four open-pits (North Silver Bell, El Tiro, West Oxide and East Oxide).
Processing
- ROM/dump leach
- Rubblization
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
Source:
Summary:
All copper in pits will be extracted from the ore utilizing dump leaching. Each month 1,800,000 tons of ore and waste are mined. The four open-pits and other plant facilities are situated on 19,000 acres. Mining affected areas of the facility total 3,900 acres.
Copper-bearing solutions from the dump leach and rubble areas are collected and pumped to the solvent extraction plant where the copper in solution is concentrated over 30 times before being pumped to the tank house. In the tank house, the copper is recovered from solution using the electrowinning process and plated on stainless steel starter sheets as high-purity cathodes.
Production:
Commodity | Units | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Copper
|
kt
| ......  | ......  | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
All production numbers are expressed as cathode.
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Daily production capacity
| ......  | 63 t of copper cathode | 63 t of copper cathode | 63 t of copper cathode | 63 t of copper cathode | 63 t of copper cathode |
Annual production capacity
| ......  | 19.1 kt of copper cathode | | | | |
Tonnes processed
| ......  | | | | 10,255 kt | 10,463 kt |
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Reserves at December 31, 2020:
Cut-off grade 0.100% Cu.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven & Probable
|
76,546 kt
|
Copper
|
0.305 %
|
233 kt
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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Aerial view:
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