Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Processing |
- Desliming
- Crush & Screen plant
- Flotation
- Magnetic separation
- Dewatering
|
Production Start | 2014 |
Mine Life | 2074 |
Minas-Rio comprises the Serra do Sapo mine and the Itapanhoacanga Project.
Minas-Rio operation consisting of the Serra do Sapo open pit mine and beneficiation plant, produces a high-grade pellet feed product, with low levels of contaminants. The iron ore is transported through a 529 km pipeline to the iron ore handling and shipping facilities at the port of Açu.
Minas-Rio is focused on increasing tailings storage capacity. The tailings filtration plant project is on track for completion by early 2026 and alternative, additional disposal options continue to be studied.
On 21 February 2024, the Anglo American plc Board approved the acquisition and integration of the contiguous Serra da Serpentina high-grade iron ore resource owned by Vale SA into Anglo American’s Minas-Rio mine in Brazil. |
Latest News | Anglo American secures additional Serpentina high quality iron ore resource at Minas-Rio February 22, 2024 |
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p. 38
Anglo American owns 100% of the Minas-Rio operation.
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Summary:
The Minas-Rio deposit, comprising the Serra do Sapo operation and Itapanhoacanga project, is hosted in a Proterozoic metasedimentary sequence located in the Serra do Espinhaço Belt. The main iron bearing lithologies are concentrated in a unit of the Serra do Sapo Formation, which consists of a haematite-quartz-sericite schist, referred to as itabirite.
The outcrops occur along a narrow ridge of 12km length in NNW-SSE strike and moderately dipping (25o) to the East. All these sequences are controlled by thrust fault systems that are responsible for local duplications, inversions or suppression of the beds.
The Itabira District is located some 80 km to the ENE of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais, within an outlier of the Rio das Velhas and Minas Supergroups that are infolded into the surrounded Archaean gneissic complex which separates them from the main Quadrilátero Ferrífero. The operating mines exploit ore developed in the Cauê Itabirite at the base of the Itabira Formation of the Minas Supergroup. This unit is exposed over a continuous strike length of 11 km in a series of synformal and antiformal structures that collectively define a larger synclinorium.
The iron ores of the Itabira district occur both as hard high grade, 67% Fe hematite and as friable lower grade, 45-50% Fe itabirites that must be upgraded. In addition, the orebodies are mantled by canga, (detrital and lateritic material). The hematite ores are interpreted to be due to hypogene enrichment of the itabirites, while the friable ores are the result of supergene leaching of silica and iron enrichment. The geological resource is stated at 1.3 Gt of hematite ore and 2.8 Gt of friable ores.
The oxide facies is characterised by millimetre thick banded layers rich in white quartz with alternating layers rich in specularite, haematite and locally magnetite, with colour ranging from dark grey to dark red. Depending on the weathering intensity, iron-bearing lithologies are physically classified as friable itabirite, semi-friable itabirite and itabirite. The grade range for material classified as itabirite is between 25 and 60 %Fe. Iron grades higher than 60% are defined as haematite. Depending on the alumina and phosphorous grades, it is further separated into high alumina itabirite, mineralised canga or waste.
The friable itabirite is totally disaggregated with quartz and lamellar/granular haematite being completely liberated. It is often located at the top of the sequence, close to the surface and strongly weathered resulting from supergene enrichment with increased iron grade. Semi-friable itabirite is a partially decomposed rock and disaggregates when struck with a hammer; it is a transition between friable and unweathered rock. Normally, it occurs at the base of friable itabirite or with lenses interlayered in friable or unweathered itabirites.
Itabirite represents the fresh rock, with a dark grey colour and a fine grain size. It is unweathered, mostly with a pervasive schistosity and tectonic banding composed of quartz and dark grey metallic haematite, with rare concentrations of massive haematite. In the southern portion of Serra do Sapo, the itabirite has an average thickness of approximately 60 m, and thicknesses up to 220 m are encountered in the central to northern areas.
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Summary:
Iron ore operation in Brazil, Minas-Rio, consists of an open-pit mine and beneficiation plant.
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- subscription is required.
Processing
- Desliming
- Crush & Screen plant
- Flotation
- Magnetic separation
- Dewatering
Flow Sheet:
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Summary:
In Brazil, company have developed the Minas-Rio operation (100% ownership), consisting of an open- pit mine and beneficiation plant, which produces a high grade pellet feed product, with low levels of contaminants. The iron ore is transported through a 529-kilometre pipeline to the iron ore handling and shipping facilities at the port of Açu.
Minas-Rio’s pellet feed product also commands a premium price, as its ultra-low contaminant levels and high iron content (67% Fe content) are sought after by steel producers who are seeking to minimise emissions while boosting productivity.
WET PROCESS STRUCTURE:
• Primary grinding
• Flotation
• Regrinding
• Concentrate thickener
• Tailings dam.
Traditionally, iron ore content has been removed from lower grade ore-bearing material through flotation, a physical-chemical process of separating particles of different granulations, which are induced or repelled when in contact with water. At Minas-Rio, we have introduced magnetic separation to the flotation process. This is a disruptive technology that uses magnetic separators to concentrate fine and ultrafine iron particles (ultrafines). The technology allows us to do away with expensive flotation columns that necessitate prior mud removal to work efficiently and is enabling higher metal recovery, along with lower levels of contaminants.
Minas-Rio’s magnetic separation plant is due to start operations in October 2022, with metal recovery expected to increase by c.4%. This enhanced treatment of the ore, brought about by greater efficiencies in the concentration process, will boost overall iron ore output. Pellet feed production is now projected to increase by 1.5 million tonnes per year (Mtpa) – against c.700,000 tpa using conventional flotation methods. Moreover, this has been achieved without the need to raise the feed rate of the plant, while the volume of tailings directed to the dam has also been reduced by 1.5 Mtpa.
Minas-Rio is focused on increasing tailings storage capacity. The tailings filtration plant project is on track for completion by early 2026 and alternative, additional disposal options continue to be studied.
Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Iron Ore
|
Concentrate Grade, %
| 67 | 67 | 67 |
Pipelines and Water Supply
Source:
- subscription is required.
Production:
All production numbers are expressed as concentrate.
^ Guidance / Forecast.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2019 |
Annual production capacity
| 26.5 M wmt of iron ore concentrate |
Reserves at December 31, 2023:
Ore Reserves (Serra do Sapo) are reported above a processing plant cut-off of 25.0 %Fe inclusive of dilution.
Mineral Resources (Serra do Sapo mine and Itapanhoacanga project) are reported above a cut-off of 25.0 %Fe in situ.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Proven & Probable
|
3,380 Mt
|
Iron
|
32.92 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
1,890 Mt
|
Iron
|
32.25 %
|
Inferred
|
576.5 Mt
|
Iron
|
33.58 %
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Cash costs
|
Iron Ore
|
USD
|
35 / wmt ^
|
33 / wmt
|
35 / wmt
|
24 / wmt
|
21 / wmt
|
21 / wmt
|
^ Guidance / Forecast.
Financials:
| Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Capital expenditures
|
M USD
| 371 | 160 | 211 | 163 |
205
|
106
|
23
|
Revenue
|
M USD
| 3,320 | 2,954 | 4,146 | 3,074 |
2,313
|
328
|
1,405
|
Earnings
|
M USD
| 1,020 | 684 | 1,789 | 1,624 |
972
|
-532
|
413
|
EBIT
|
M USD
| 1,413 | 1,068 | 2,399 | 1,705 |
1,034
|
-411
|
335
|
EBITDA
|
M USD
| 1,598 | 1,244 | 2,560 | 1,863 |
1,164
|
-272
|
435
|
HME Type | Model | Size | Quantity | Ref. Date | Source |
Loader (FEL)
|
|
15 m3
|
4
|
May 30, 2015
|
p.8
|
Shovel
|
|
22 m3
|
2
|
May 30, 2015
|
p.8
|
Shovel
|
|
26 m3
|
1
|
May 30, 2015
|
p.8
|
Truck (haul)
|
Komatsu 830E
|
230 t
|
32
|
Apr 19, 2023
|
p.1
|
Mine Management:
Job Title | Name | Profile | Ref. Date |
Director of Operations
|
Evilmar José Fonseca
|
|
Mar 22, 2024
|
Mine Infrastructure Manager
|
Gustavo Sperandio de Sá
|
|
Mar 22, 2024
|
Mine Operations Manager
|
Juliano Alves dos Reis
|
|
Mar 22, 2024
|
Mine Planning Manager
|
Frederico Santana Castro
|
|
Mar 22, 2024
|
Planning Manager
|
Gustavo Oliveira Gomes
|
|
Mar 22, 2024
|
Technical Services Manager
|
Aurélio Garcia
|
|
Mar 22, 2024
|
Staff:
Employees | Contractors | Total Workforce | Year |
2,600
|
|
|
2023
|
2,600
|
|
|
2022
|
2,216
|
5,287
|
7,503
|
2021
|
2,500
|
|
|
2020
|
3,000
|
|
|
2019
|
2,000
|
|
|
2018
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
News: