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Peru
Cerro Corona Mine

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 Location:
134 km E from Chiclayo, Peru

  Regional Office:
Av. El Derby No. 055 Torre 1 – Piso 10 Santiago de Surco
Lima
Peru
15023
Phone+511-706-0430 or 0400
Fax+511-706-042
WebsiteWeb
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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
  • Gold
  • Copper
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start2008
Mine Life2030
Cerro Corona mine operates one open pit and one copper-gold flotation plant.


Owners

Source: p. 308
CompanyInterestOwnership
Gold Fields Ltd. 99.53 % Indirect
Gold Fields La Cima S.A. (“La Cima”) owns the Cerro Corona operation in Peru.

Contractors

ContractorContractDescriptionRef. DateExpirySource
San Martin Contratistas Generales Mine Operator Contract mining is deployed in the open pit applying conventional drill, blast, load and haul methods. Aug 25, 2023
unawarded or unknown Power supply The power supply at Cerro Corona is part of SEIN (the National Interconnected Electrical System of Peru). Dec 31, 2022


Deposit Type

  • Porphyry
  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork
  • Vein / narrow vein

Source: Source p.28-30

Summary:

Cerro Corona is a copper-gold porphyry type deposit, with some epithermal facies at the top of its volcanic column, hosted by a sub-vertical, cylindrical-shape diorite porphyry (600-700 m in diameter). The intrusion has undergone significant meteoric processes at the top of the column, generating an upper level known as the leached cap, underlain by mixed and copper enriched zones which overlie the main hypogene portion of the deposit. The gold-only leached cap is free of copper, which is concentrated in the supergene enriched horizons.

Around 80 % of the orebody is hypogene and the remaining 20 % is oxide or supergene, notwithstanding that most of the supergene and oxide ore has already been mined and the remnant ore is primary sulphide in nature.

The Cerro Corona porphyry system is strongly altered, ranging from propylitic in the distal zones to predominantly argillic in the central zone. Varying proportions of clay-sericite are encountered and potassic alteration intensity increases with depth.

The entire system contains a strongly developed stockwork system. The stockwork has an annular disposition within the porphyry, with a low-grade or barren zone in the central part.

The upper oxidised zone of the porphyry system is up to 40 m thick and is characterised by the presence of iron oxides (goethite > jarosite > hematite + tenorite). The supergene zone contains chalcocite-covellite occurring as disseminated nodes and infill within fractures and quartz veins. Bornite occurs less frequently and on a local scale, copper sulphate is impregnated into the host rock.

At depth, the hypogene zone is characterised by sulphide mineralisation as disseminated nodes, small patches, infill in fractures, and within stockwork quartz veins. The mineralisation within the stockwork is mainly pyrite-marcasitechalcopyrite + bornite + covellite + hematite + magnetite. The veins and veinlets have been classified into the following types:
• Type A: Early veinlets, millimetre to centimetre-wide, containing magnetite-specular hematite-chalcopyritebornite-pyrite.
• Type B: Intermediate-age, millimetre to centimetre wide, containing quartz-magnetite-specular hematitechalcopyrite.
• Type D: Late veinlets, centimetre to tens of centimetre-wide, containing quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite.
• Type M: Late magnetite-rich veins and veinlets clearly identified by their cross-cutting relationships with younger veining.

Two low-grade or barren zones are present within the deposit. The “NE Barren Core” is located in the northeastern quarter of the deposit and is irregular in shape, encompassing approximately 50,000 m² at the surface. The NE Barren Core is characterised by plagioclase-biotite ± quartz porphyry with large euhedral biotite and plagioclase phenocrysts in an aphanitic matrix. The porphyry has been subjected to argillic alteration of the plagioclase phenocrysts. Rare quartz veinlets contain minor pyrite and traces of chalcopyrite.

Deeper drillhole intercepts around the NE Barren Core show weak secondary biotite alteration and incipient to moderate potassium-feldspar flooding, and discontinuous quartz veinlets containing weak pyrite-chalcopyrite ± specularite mineralisation. The contact relationship with the surrounding stockwork-veined and mineralised porphyry has not been demonstrated.

The “SW Barren Core” is in the southwestern portion of the deposit. It is entirely enclosed by the mineralised annulus and encompasses an area approximately 200 m long in a north–south direction and 50-100 m wide in an east-west direction. The SW Barren Core is characterised in part by strongly altered intrusive diorite with strong quartz-pyrite veining and in part by the presence of plagioclase-biotite ± quartz porphyry similar in appearance to the weakly altered porphyry present in the NE Barren Core. No copper or gold mineralisation is present within the SW Barren Core except for a small high-grade zone at approximately 225 m depth in the central part of the barren zone. Hydrothermal breccias with quartz-pyrite dominant matrices have been identified in drill core near the inferred limits of the SW Barren Core but the precise contact relationship has not been established.

The interpreted sequence of intrusions based on field mapping and extensive blast hole logging. The Cerro Corona intrusive complex is defined by at least four mineralised intrusive pulses preceded by a former dry intrusion. The first (barren) intrusion acted as a sealing layer for the surrounding sedimentary rocks, yielding only marbelisation and at the same time preventing later mineralising fluids to penetrate the limestones to generate skarn. The pulses have very diffuse contacts between them with subsequent alteration making it difficult to differentiate boundaries in the mapping process. Nevertheless, a previously executed a petrographic study on 30 samples well distributed in the mine did not find significant differences between them. This supports the hypothesis that all intrusions came from a single magma chamber with slight differences due to magmatic differentiation.

The footprint of metal distribution is in the outer portion of each intrusion and the most recent and best preserved is the assigned pulse 5 in the southwest of the deposit. Pulse 5 crosscuts all the former ones. All pulses are intensively mineralised on their external crust preserving a barren or lower grade core in the central portion. The annular shape of the mineralisation distributed in the outer part of the intrusive bodies results from violent quenching of the external halo during rapid magma ascent to the surface. This causes intense fracturing and dilational intrusions at the contact zone, creating permeability and then allowing the flow of hydrothermal fluids responsible for the alteration and hypogene mineralisation throughout the shattered portion of the rock (outer halos). Cores remained barren or at most poorly mineralised except for rare structures which allowed the flow of alteration and mineralising fluids to the inner part of the pulses without significant extension and economic potential.

Although structural activity has played a key role by preparing the geological setting prior to ore emplacement allowing porphyritic intrusions and subsequent hydrothermal flow, surface mapping shows that there is no significant movement or disruption of the orebodies caused by fault displacement.


Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader

Source: p.67-69

Summary:

The Cerro Corona open pit is mined by conventional drill and blast methods with truck and excavator fleets. Mining benches are generally 10 m high in limestone, silica and potassic units. Haul roads have 10 % of maximum gradient configuration. All material requires drill and blast with varying powder factors according to rock hardness using 200 mm diameter production BHs.

The operations quarry is being mined to provide limestone for the TSF construction. A proportion of the clay waste removed from the pit is also used for this purpose.

All operation and maintenance of mining equipment is completed by the mining contractor.

The new mining contractor has flexibility relating to its mining fleet and is committed to mobilising a fleet of 45 t trucks as the material movement rate increases.

Mining fleet and machinery requirements
Load and haul activities are carried out by 11 x 40 t trucks, 13 x 45 t trucks, 23 x 55 t trucks and 5 excavators with a bucket capacity varying between 4.8 and 6 m³.


Crushing and Grinding
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Processing

  • Gravity separation
  • Centrifugal concentrator
  • Flotation
  • Filter press

Flow Sheet: Source
Source: Source

Summary:

The Cerro Corona process plant is a conventional crush-grind-float circuit producing a copper-gold concentrate. The life of mine plan is built on a throughput assumption of 800 t/hr or 6.7 Mt/a with an availability of 91.32 %.

The flotation plant includes a rougher stage of seven 160 m³ Outokumpu flotation cells to produce a concentrate recovering 85 %-90 % of the copper and 65 %-70 % of the gold. The rougher flotation tails are thickened in a 36.6 m diameter thickener to a density of 45-52 % solids and then piped to the TSF.

The concentrate is processed through two stages of cleaning cells of different size to deliver a concentrate of 20 % copper and 30 g/t gold. The cleaning circuit also includes four regrind mills and five 50 m³ Outokumpu cleanerscavenger flotation cells. The cleaner tails from this circuit are piped to the TSF.

A Falcon gravity concentrator is included in the circuit for the recovery gold in iron from the rougher concentrate, which is then sent to the final concentrate thickener. The tailings from the gravimetric process continues the normal process to the cleaning flotation circuit.

The final concentrate is thickened in a 16 m diameter thickener to 63 % solids and then pumped to a fully automatic Metso filter. Concentrate with 7-9 % moisture is stored in a dome with a 5,000 t capacity before loading into 30 t trucks that transport the concentrate in seven vehicle convoys over 380 km to Salaverry port. The concentrate is loaded in ships for export to copper smelters in Japan and Germany.

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter2022202120202019201820172016
Gold Recovery Rate, % 7165656668.170.467.5
Gold Head Grade, g/t 0.880.830.871.151.071.081.03
Copper Recovery Rate, % 89878889888986.6
Copper Head Grade, % 0.470.460.440.550.570.520.53

Production:

CommodityProductUnits2023202220212020201920182017
Gold Metal in concentrate koz 126 ^129113119156150159
Copper Metal in concentrate M lbs 60 ^605755687166
Gold Equivalent Metal in concentrate koz 255 ^2482072933140.3
Copper Concentrate kt 138134124152159153
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics202220212020201920182017
Plant annual capacity 6.7 Mt6.7 Mt6.7 Mt6.7 Mt6.9 Mt6.7 Mt
Stripping / waste ratio 1.1 2.2 1.5 1.8 2.2 1.2
Ore tonnes mined 13,801 kt8,959 kt7,303 kt8,024 kt6,854 kt7,085 kt
Waste 15,556 kt19,342 kt10,921 kt14,317 kt14,922 kt8,659 kt
Total tonnes mined 29,357 kt28,301 kt18,225 kt22,341 kt21,776 kt15,744 kt
Tonnes milled 6,721 kt6,817 kt6,796 kt6,718 kt6,644 kt6,796 kt

Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Mineral Resources: NSR for mill feed 16.38 US$/t, Au cut-off for oxide ore 0.4 g/t.

Mineral Reserves: NSR for mill feed 30 US$/t.

CategoryOreTypeTonnage CommodityGradeContained Metal
Proven Stockpiles 13,185 kt Gold 0.52 g/t 219 koz
Proven In-Situ (OP) 34,705 kt Gold 0.56 g/t 623 koz
Proven Total 47,890 kt Gold 0.55 g/t 842 koz
Proven Stockpiles 13,185 kt Copper 0.34 % 100 M lbs
Proven In-Situ (OP) 34,705 kt Copper 0.37 % 284 M lbs
Proven Total 47,890 kt Copper 0.36 % 384 M lbs
Probable In-Situ (OP) 2,006 kt Gold 0.47 g/t 30 koz
Probable In-Situ (OP) 2,006 kt Copper 0.33 % 14 M lbs
Proven & Probable Stockpiles 13,185 kt Gold 0.52 g/t 219 koz
Proven & Probable In-Situ (OP) 36,711 kt Gold 0.55 g/t 653 koz
Proven & Probable Total 49,896 kt Gold 0.54 g/t 872 koz
Proven & Probable Stockpiles 13,185 kt Copper 0.34 % 100 M lbs
Proven & Probable In-Situ (OP) 36,711 kt Copper 0.37 % 298 M lbs
Proven & Probable Total 49,896 kt Copper 0.36 % 398 M lbs
Measured In-Situ (OP) 33,250 kt Gold 0.51 g/t 547 koz
Measured In-Situ (OP) 33,250 kt Copper 0.34 % 249 M lbs
Indicated In-Situ (OP) 7,265 kt Gold 0.48 g/t 113 koz
Indicated In-Situ (OP) 7,265 kt Copper 0.31 % 50 M lbs
Measured & Indicated In-Situ (OP) 40,515 kt Gold 0.51 g/t 660 koz
Measured & Indicated In-Situ (OP) 40,515 kt Copper 0.34 % 300 M lbs
Inferred In-Situ (OP) 145 kt Gold 0.38 g/t 2 koz
Inferred In-Situ (OP) 145 kt Copper 0.33 % 1 M lbs

Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits2023202220212020201920182017
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Gold Equivalent USD 1,010 / oz ^  
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Gold USD 450 / oz ^†   310 / oz†   -34 / oz†   484 / oz†   472 / oz†   282 / oz†   203 / oz†  
All-in costs Gold Equivalent USD 1,070 / oz ^  
All-in costs Gold USD 570 / oz ^†   444 / oz†   230 / oz†   715 / oz†   472 / oz†   282 / oz†   203 / oz†  
^ Guidance / Forecast.
† Net of By-Product.

Financials:

Units2023202220212020201920182017
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD 45  
Growth Capital M USD 15  28  26  
Sustaining costs M USD 31.3  27.6  24   33   34  
Capital expenditures M USD 46  55.7  50  56.1   33   34  
Revenue M USD 434.7  434.8  368.8  399   351   392.9  
After-tax Income M USD 27.9  54.8  53.9  83.1   42.6   97.4  
Book Value M USD 390  540  


Water Supply
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Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2022:
Source: Source p.69
HME TypeSizeQuantityLeased or
Contractor
Excavator 5 Leased
Truck (haul) 40 t 11 Leased
Truck (haul) 55 t 23 Leased
Truck (haul) 45 t 13 Leased

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
Engineering Manager Ricardo Caycho LinkedIn Aug 25, 2023
Metallurgical Superintendent Hyder Mamani LinkedIn Aug 25, 2023
Mine Superintendent Rafael Guerrero Valqui LinkedIn Aug 25, 2023
Technical Services Manager Julio Torres LinkedIn Aug 25, 2023
VP Operations Ronald Diaz Vásquez LinkedIn Aug 25, 2023

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
828 6,531 7,359 2022
639 6,294 6,903 2021
568 3,700 4,268 2020
545 2,862 3,407 2019

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
Financial Review 2022
Form 20-F 2022
Integrated Report 2022
Technical Report 2022
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2022
Financial Review 2021
Form 20-F 2021
Integrated Report 2021
Technical Report 2021
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2021
Financial Review 2020
Form 20-F 2020
Integrated Report 2020
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2020
Annual Report 2019
Integrated Report 2019
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2019
Form 20-F 2018
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2018
Form 20-F 2017
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2017
Annual Report 2016
Financial Review 2016
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2016
Annual Report 2015
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2015
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2015
Other 2014
Technical Report 2014
Technical Report 2012

Aerial view:

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