Overview
| Stage | Pre-Feasibility |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
- Copper
- Molybdenum
- Gold
- Silver
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Mine Life | 27 years (as of Jan 1, 2020) |
On December 17, 2020, Yamana completed of the integration of the Agua Rica Project with the Alumbrera Mine and Alumbrera plant and infrastructure forming the MARA Joint Venture under which Yamana holds a controlling interest of 56.25%, with Glencore International AG holding a 25.00% interest and Newmont Corporation holding an 18.75% interest.
MARA full feasibility study results and completion of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, expected in 2022.
On July 19, 2019, the Company announced the positive results of a Pre-Feasibility Study(PFS-A) for MARA Project. The Joint Venture Committee advanced optimization studies in late 2019 and early 2020, the results of which were complied as Pre-Feasibility Study(PFS-B). In 2022, the Company only publishes the Pre-Feasibility Study(PFS-A) results. The economic and production part for this object was taken from news release on Pre-Feasibility Study(PFS-B). |
Source:
p. 95
On December 17, 2020, the Company completed the integration with Glencore and Newmont and a new joint venture, the MARA Joint Venture, was formed to manage, develop and operate the project. Under the integration, Yamana, the former 100% holder of Agua Rica and the former partners of Alumbrera have created the MARA Joint Venture pursuant to which Yamana holds a controlling ownership interest in the MARA Project at 56.25%. Glencore holds a 25.00% interest and Newmont holds an 18.75% interest in the MARA Project. Yamana has been appointed manager of the MARA Joint Venture.
Contractors
- Subscription is required.
Deposit Type
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
- Epithermal
- Porphyry
- Vein / narrow vein
Summary:
Deposit Type
The Agua Rica deposit is interpreted as a substantial gold-rich porphyry copper-molybdenite deposit, formed by multistage porphyry intrusions of Miocene age. These porphyries, interpreted as intrusions distal to the Miocene Farallón Negro Volcanic Complex, are of calc-alkaline dacitic composition and result from arc magmatism produced by subduction below the continental western margin of South America. The principal volcanic centre hosts the giant Bajo de la Alumbrera porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposit, now operating as MAA, 35 km to the west.
The emplacement of these intrusions produced porphyry-style veining (stockwork, A and B veins), vein and disseminated mineralization (chalcopyrite, molybdenite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, magnetite and bornite), and alteration (potassic and propylitic).
Continued hydrothermal activity produced various phases of hydrothermal breccias, accompanied by phyllic alteration, intense advanced argillic alteration (pyrophyllite and alunite), and the formation of a high sulphidation epithermal overprint (pyrite-covellite-enargite-galena-sphalerite, containing Cu-Au-AgPb-Zn). This later epithermal mineralization partially replaced the earlier porphyry-style mineralization. A gradual unroofing of the magmatic and hydrothermal system is proposed to explain this juxtaposition of mineralizing environments that usually occur at very different depths.
A stage of supergene alteration, typical of porphyry copper environm ........
Summary:
Agua Rica Mineral Reserves are contained within a single open pit. The pit is located in a valley, Quebrada Minas, flanked by mountainous terrain ranging in elevation between approximately 3,000 masl to 4,000 masl.
The Agua Rica deposit will be mined via a conventional high tonnage, truck and shovel open pit operation with ore being crushed at the new mine site and conveyed approximately 35 km west to the existing Alumbrera processing plant. The average LOM material moved is expected to be approximately 108 Mtpa, with an ore feed of 40 Mtpa and average LOM strip ratio of 1.66. Mine waste will be deposited in the Choya valley, adjacent to the Agua Rica, at WRF.
The mining strategy includes the use of a mining contractor to develop the first two stages with the objective of minimizing the Project’s initial capital cost, while the production stage will be carried out primarily by the Parties.
Due to the mountainous topography, the Agua Rica mine will require mine pioneering activities such as roads, dykes, and crushing pad to properly enable the mine commencing.
Prestripping of 83.8 Mt of overburden will be required. Prestripping is forecast to take place over a 24 month period after all required mine pioneering is completed.
A maximum of 165 Mtpa (108 Mtpa average) is planned to be mined from the Agua Rica deposit. A total of 40 Mtpa of plant feed is planned for the mine, with a ramp-up of 28 Mt for the first year. The aver ........
Source:
- subscription is required.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
- subscription is required.
Projected Production:
| Commodity | Units | Avg. Annual |
|
Copper Equivalent
|
M lbs
| 469 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.
Operational Metrics:
| Metrics | |
|
Stripping / waste ratio
| ...... |
|
Daily processing capacity
| ...... |
|
Annual mining rate
| ...... |
|
Annual ore mining rate
| ...... |
* According to 2020 study.
- Subscription is required.
Reserves at December 31, 2020:
The Mineral Reserves and Resources didn't change from 2020 to 2021.
Open pit mineral reserves are reported at a variable cut-off value averaging $8.42/ton, based on metal price assumptions of $3.00/lb Cu, $1,250/oz Au, $18/oz Ag, and $11/lb Mo.
Open pit Mineral Resources are reported at a variable cut-off value which averages $8.42/ton milled with overall slope angles varying from 39° to 45° depending on the geotechnical sector.
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Proven
|
587,200 kt
|
Copper
|
0.57 %
|
7,379 M lbs
|
|
Proven
|
587,200 kt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.03 %
|
388 M lbs
|
|
Proven
|
587,200 kt
|
Gold
|
0.25 g/t
|
4,720 koz
|
|
Proven
|
587,200 kt
|
Silver
|
3 g/t
|
57,013 koz
|
|
Probable
|
517,600 kt
|
Copper
|
0.39 %
|
4,450 M lbs
|
|
Probable
|
517,600 kt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.03 %
|
341 M lbs
|
|
Probable
|
517,600 kt
|
Gold
|
0.16 g/t
|
2,663 koz
|
|
Probable
|
517,600 kt
|
Silver
|
2.6 g/t
|
43,765 koz
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
1,104,800 kt
|
Copper
|
0.49 %
|
11,829 M lbs
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
1,104,800 kt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.03 %
|
731 M lbs
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
1,104,800 kt
|
Gold
|
0.21 g/t
|
7,381 koz
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
1,104,800 kt
|
Silver
|
2.8 g/t
|
100,780 koz
|
|
Measured
|
169,684 kt
|
Copper
|
0.28 %
|
1,051 M lbs
|
|
Measured
|
169,684 kt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.014 %
|
53 M lbs
|
|
Measured
|
169,684 kt
|
Gold
|
0.26 g/t
|
1,397 koz
|
|
Measured
|
53,600 kt
|
Silver
|
1.6 g/t
|
2,670 koz
|
|
Indicated
|
215,463 kt
|
Copper
|
0.3 %
|
1,406 M lbs
|
|
Indicated
|
215,463 kt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.029 %
|
139 M lbs
|
|
Indicated
|
215,463 kt
|
Gold
|
0.12 g/t
|
816 koz
|
|
Indicated
|
206,300 kt
|
Silver
|
1.9 g/t
|
12,337 koz
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
385,146 kt
|
Copper
|
0.29 %
|
2,459 M lbs
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
385,146 kt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.022 %
|
190 M lbs
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
385,146 kt
|
Gold
|
0.18 g/t
|
2,213 koz
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
259,900 kt
|
Silver
|
1.8 g/t
|
15,008 koz
|
|
Inferred
|
745,938 kt
|
Copper
|
16 %
|
3,778 M lbs
|
|
Inferred
|
745,938 kt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.03 %
|
492 M lbs
|
|
Inferred
|
745,938 kt
|
Gold
|
0.09 g/t
|
2,172 koz
|
|
Inferred
|
742,900 kt
|
Silver
|
1.6 g/t
|
38,693 koz
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| | Commodity | Units | Average |
|
Cash costs
|
Copper Equivalent
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
|
All-in sustaining costs (AISC)
|
Copper Equivalent
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
|
Assumed price
|
Molybdenum
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
|
Assumed price
|
Copper
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
|
Assumed price
|
Silver
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
|
Assumed price
|
Gold
|
USD
|
...... &nbs
|
* According to 2020 study / presentation. For the first 10 years of production.
2020 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :
| Metrics | Units | LOM Total |
|
Initial CapEx
|
$M USD
|
......
|
|
After-tax NPV @ 8%
|
$M USD
|
......
|
|
After-tax IRR, %
|
|
......
|
- Subscription is required.
Source:
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
- Subscription is required.
- Subscription is required.