Overview
| Stage | Pre-Feasibility |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Mine Life | 45 years (as of Jan 1, 2019) |
The Vizcachitas Project is an open pit mine and concentrator plant that produces concentrate. Three alternatives are presented for process plant throughputs namely, 55 ktpd, 110 ktpd and 200 ktpd, with the 110 ktpd case yielding the highest After-Tax IRR and shortest Payback Period. |
| Latest News | Los Andes Copper Files Positive PFS for Vizcachitas With a US$2.77 Billion Post-Tax NPV and 24% IRR April 11, 2023 |
Source:
p. 19, 41
The project includes 52 mining properties covering a surface area of 10,771 ha and 108 exploration claims with a combined total of 30,800 ha. All the mining properties are 100% owned by Compañía Minera Vizcachitas Holding (CMVH) or by Sociedad Legal Minera San Jose Uno de Lo Vicuña, El Tártaro y Piguchén de Putaendo (SLM San Jose) and have been granted or are in the process of being granted by the court of Putaendo.
CMVH and SLM San Jose are wholly owned subsidiaries of Los Andes Copper.
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Summary:
The Vizcachitas mineral deposit has similar characteristics to other Andean-style porphyry copper and molybdenum mineral deposits. This type of mineralized deposit contains large masses of hydrothermally altered rocks, sulphide-bearing small veins, disseminated sulphides, quartz veins and stockworks that may cover several square kilometres. These altered areas are commonly coincident with shallow intrusives, hydrothermal breccias and intrusion breccia.
The mineralized system of Vizcachitas comprises complex porphyries and breccias with copper and molybdenum mineralization, which intrudes andesitic volcanic rocks. The earliest intrusive rocks are porphyries of diorite composition. The petrographic work identifies this unit as a diorite with biotitized mafics (phlogopite) with deformed quartz veins and others of hyaline quartz/anhydrite veins. This is associated with abundant chalcopyrite and development of sericite haloes where the pyrite is greater than chalcopyrite. This phase has the highest primary grades for both copper and molybdenum.
Hydrothermal breccias have various matrix including: siliceous, silica-K feldspar, silica-sericite, silica-anhydrite, silica- sulphides and silica-tourmaline. These are genetically related to each igneous event. The hydrothermal breccias are normally associated with higher copper grades than their related intrusive phase.
The first inter-mineral intrusive phase is of a tonalitic composition and is followed ........
Summary:
An open pit mining method has been selected for the Vizcachitas deposit mainly owing to the copper and molybdenum grades and the continuous mineralization occurring near the surface, which is a considerable benefit in relation to the waste/mineral ratio for open pit mining.
Previous engineering studies have discarded an underground mining option owing to the lack of grades to support such an option.
The mine has been scheduled to operate 360 days per year. The plan contemplates two 12-hour shifts per day. Mining operations include drilling, blasting, loading, hauling and support services.
The annual operation period defined for the mine considers minimal snow-related downtime. The deposit is located at an average elevation of 2000 masl, with potentially minor snow events. The roads and working areas may be promptly cleared by using support equipment considered in the operation.
Source:
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Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Projected Production:
| Commodity | Product | Units | LOM |
|
Copper
|
Metal in concentrate
|
kt
| 4,994 |
|
Copper
|
Concentrate
|
kt
| 16,646 |
|
Molybdenum
|
Metal in concentrate
|
kt
| ...... |
Operational Metrics:
| Metrics | |
|
Stripping / waste ratio
| 1.31 * |
|
Waste tonnes, LOM
| 2,170 Mt * |
|
Ore tonnes mined, LOM
| 1,665 Mt * |
|
Total tonnes mined, LOM
| 4,263 Mt * |
|
Daily processing rate
| 110 kt * |
|
Mining scale, tpd
| 271,000 t |
|
Processing scale, tpd
| 110 kt |
* According to 2019 study.
Reserves at May 10, 2019:
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Measured
|
254.4 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.439 %
|
2,462 M lbs
|
|
Measured
|
254.4 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
119.2 ppm
|
67 M lbs
|
|
Measured
|
254.4 Mt
|
Silver
|
1.26 g/t
|
10.3 M oz
|
|
Measured
|
254.4 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
0.489 %
|
2,743 M lbs
|
|
Indicated
|
1,030 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.385 %
|
8,740 M lbs
|
|
Indicated
|
1,030 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
146.9 ppm
|
333 M lbs
|
|
Indicated
|
1,030 Mt
|
Silver
|
1 g/t
|
33.1 M oz
|
|
Indicated
|
1,030 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
0.442 %
|
10,034 M lbs
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
1,284 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.396 %
|
11,202 M lbs
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
1,284 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
141.4 ppm
|
400 M lbs
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
1,284 Mt
|
Silver
|
1.05 g/t
|
43.4 M oz
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
1,284 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
0.451 %
|
12,777 M lbs
|
|
Inferred
|
788.82 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.337 %
|
5,861 M lbs
|
|
Inferred
|
788.82 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
127 ppm
|
221 M lbs
|
|
Inferred
|
788.82 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.88 g/t
|
22.3 M oz
|
|
Inferred
|
788.82 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
0.386 %
|
6,713 M lbs
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
| Document | Year |
|
...................................
|
2019
|
|
...................................
|
2019
|
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