Mining Intelligence and News
Mauritania

Guelb Moghrein Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotGuelb Moghrein consists of an open pit copper and gold deposit.

The stripping of Cutback 4 in the main pit is progressing well and expected to extend mining operations to the end of 2025.

The re-commissioning of the carbon in leach (“CIL”) plant was approved in November 2022. This will enable Mauritanian Copper Mines(MCM) to reprocess tailings and oxide stockpiles and is expected to extend the life of MCM until Q1 2028. It is anticipated that first gold bullion will be produced in March 2024 and the Mine Project will be completed in 2025.

Construction of the Carbon-in-Leach (“CIL”) plant is ongoing, with commissioning planned for the second quarter of 2024.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Mauritanian Copper Mines Sarl (operator) 100 % Direct
The First Quantum Minerals Ltd. currently holds a 100% interest in Guelb Moghrein through its subsidiary, Mauritanian Copper Mines S.A.

Deposit type

  • IOCG

Summary:

Guelb Moghrein mineralisation may be classed as a structurally modified iron ore copper gold (IOCG) deposit that is hosted in a coarse grained ferro-magnesian carbonate (FMC) unit. Copper and gold mineralisation is largely coincident with some evidence for elevated gold in the shallow mined out upper zones. The main sulphide minerals are chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite with magnetite becoming more abundant external to the sulphide bodies. The zones of mineralisation were strongly controlled by tectonic shearing and faulting which resulted in topographic expressions of the deposit in the form of two hills known as the Occidental and Oriental hills. Mineralisation below Occidental hill is considerably larger than that at Oriental, and dips by about 20 degrees to the south with a strike length close to 700 m and a dip extent of close to 1,000 m. The Occidental mineralised vertical width varies according to structural controls and ranges from a few meters to several 10’s of metres. The mineralisation below Oriental hill is limited to the shallow outcropping area of the hill and has an ellipsoid shape with a strike length of around 250 m and a width of about 100 m.

The FMC unit is the primary host of Guelb mineralisation and is comprised mainly of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite within the un-oxidised zone. Other minerals include iron-cobalt-nickel arsenides and bismuth-gold-silver-tellurides. Gold is largely coincident and associated with chalcopyrite.

A shallow (<40 m) oxidised zone has resulted from surface weathering and oxidation of the deposits primary sulphide mineralisation. Commonly, the oxidised zone has minerals such as native copper, malachite, cuprite and chalcocite. Mineralisation of the carbonate units is suggested to be hydrothermal and associated with the D2 deformation event, which was subsequently deformed by faulting and thrusting of the D3 event. The siderite within the FMC is considered to have provided a reactant for the hydrothermal Cu-Au bearing fluids. Sulphide mineralisation is often better developed along the basal portions of the FMC and ranges from semi-massive to disseminated.

The topographic expression of the Guelb Moghrein mineralisation outcrops as two small hills of notable FMC gossans. The two hills are known as Occidental and Oriental, below which mineralisation is located as two distinctly different volumes. Occidental is characterised as a tabular shaped body dipping to the south by approximately 20 degrees and has a strike length of 650 m and dip extent of 1200 m. The width of Occidental mineralisation ranges from a few meters to 10’s of meters. In contrast the Oriental deposit is much smaller and is restricted as an ellipsoid shaped body immediately below the Oriental hill. Oriental has a strike length of 500 m and is approximately 200 m wide.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

CommodityProductUnits2024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Copper Metal in copper conc. t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe29,62028,13728,79132,81845,001
Gold Metal in copper conc. oz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe44,67345,97449,21353,95164,007
Iron (magnetite) Concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe493387
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics202320222021202020192018201720162015
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe4 Mt4 Mt4 Mt
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe5,124 kt1,590 kt3,104 kt2,700 kt2,918 kt
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe11,133 kt15,062 kt14,052 kt12,066 kt17,545 kt
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3,851 kt3,684 kt3,389 kt3,898 kt4,015 kt

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2023202220212020201920182017
Credits (by-product) Copper USD  ....  Subscribe -1.14 / lb   -1.14 / lb   -1 / lb  
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Copper USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1.36 / lb **   1.93 / lb **   1.65 / lb **  
C1 cash costs Copper USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1 / lb **   1.5 / lb **   1.28 / lb **  
C3 fully allocated costs Copper USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1.87 / lb **   2.46 / lb **   2.13 / lb **  
** Net of By-Product.

Financials

Units20242023202220212020201920182017
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD  ....  Subscribe
Sustaining costs M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Capital expenditures M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 9   15   13  
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 243   235   217  
Gross profit M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 45   30   41  
Operating Income M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 38   21   39  
EBITDA M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 87   66   83  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 11, 2024
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Total WorkforceYear
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Aerial view:

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