Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Cut & Fill
- Drift & Fill
- Sub-level stoping
|
Processing |
- Gravity separation
- Flotation
|
Mine Life | 10 years (as of Jan 1, 2018) |
Following the restart, at the end of Q4 2018 Nyrstar was required to suspend ore extraction and production at the mill to address deficiencies identified in compliance orders from the Ministry for Energy, Mines & Petroleum Resources in British Columbia. Nyrstar is currently working to address the necessary repairs and production should resume by the end of Q1 2019 or during Q2 2019 at the latest. In the meantime, Nyrstar is continuing with its underground development and remediation activities at the Myra Falls mine.
Publication of the Half Year Results 2019 are now being rescheduled to Friday 29 November 2019 |
Source:
Trafigura Group Pte Ltd. (“Trafigura”), a market leader in the global commodities industry, has today become the majority owner of the operating business of Nyrstar, a global multi-metals business.
Summary:
Myra Falls zinccopper-gold (lead-silver) mineral deposits are comprised of complex metal-zoned Volcanic Hosted Massive Sulphide deposits. The principal sulphide minerals are sphalerite, pyrite and chalcopyrite with minor galena, bornite, and tennantite. Myra Falls mine produces copper, lead, zinc, and gold concentrates with silver in concentrate. There is strong geological continuity of the mineralization as demonstrated in the extensive diamond drilling and underground development.
Mining Methods
- Cut & Fill
- Drift & Fill
- Sub-level stoping
Summary:
Current underground mining methods utilized at Myra Falls depend on orebody geometry and include drift and fill, cut and fill, drift, and sublevel longhole open stoping. Some surface mining is still conducted within the Lynx open pit. Hydraulic backfilling uses pyritic mill cycloned tailings. Approximately 55% of the tailings are pumped underground for this purpose.
Processing
- Gravity separation
- Flotation
Source:
Summary:
The mill and concentrator have a capacity of 1.4 M tonnes per year. At surface, the muck is transported by a 1.4 km long conveyor belt. This belt discharges into a 3,600 tonne coarse ore bin at the concentrator. Secondary and tertiary cone crushing and screening reduces the mill feed to less than 16 mm x 28 mm size. Two 3,500 tonne fine ore bins receive this crushed material.
The concentrator has two parallel grinding and rougher circuits, each capable of treating 2,000 tonnes per day. Rod mill discharge is pumped to a pair of Krebs D20LB cyclones. Cyclone underflow is ball mill feed and is 80% to 85% solids. Product from the grinding circuit is 75% to 80% passing –200 mesh. Cyclone underflow is then passed through a Knelson gold concentrator that recovers coarse free gold. Gold and silver recoveries are about 53% and 77% respectively.
The resultant mill slurry is then processed first by two Cu rougher flotation circuits producing a Cu final concentrate which repo ........

Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2018 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Zinc
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | 89.7 | 89.1 | 88.6 |
Zinc
|
Head Grade, %
| ......  | 6.91 | 6.43 | 5.91 |
Lead
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | 23.5 | 44.3 | 33.9 |
Lead
|
Head Grade, %
| ......  | 0.47 | 0.72 | 0.54 |
Copper
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | 63.1 | 70.8 | 70.8 |
Copper
|
Head Grade, %
| ......  | 0.69 | 0.7 | 0.88 |
Silver
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | 85.9 | 82.5 | 84 |
Silver
|
Head Grade, g/t
| ......  | 51.9 | 95 | 57.9 |
Gold
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | 69.5 | 77.2 | 69.3 |
Gold
|
Head Grade, g/t
| ......  | 1.24 | 2.04 | 1.53 |
Zinc
|
Concentrate Grade, %
| ......  | 52.9 | 52.9 | 52.9 |
Lead
|
Concentrate Grade, %
| ......  | 40 | 32.6 | 31 |
Copper
|
Concentrate Grade, %
| ......  | 22.2 | 22.1 | 23.4 |
Reserves at December 31, 2018:
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Proven
|
4.11 Mt
|
Zinc
|
6.94 %
|
Proven
|
4.11 Mt
|
Lead
|
0.75 %
|
Proven
|
4.11 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.93 %
|
Proven
|
4.11 Mt
|
Silver
|
72.56 g/t
|
Proven
|
4.11 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.71 g/t
|
Probable
|
0.59 Mt
|
Zinc
|
8.26 %
|
Probable
|
0.59 Mt
|
Lead
|
0.94 %
|
Probable
|
0.59 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.78 %
|
Probable
|
0.59 Mt
|
Silver
|
104.48 g/t
|
Probable
|
0.59 Mt
|
Gold
|
2.32 g/t
|
Proven & Probable
|
4.7 Mt
|
Zinc
|
7.11 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
4.7 Mt
|
Lead
|
0.78 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
4.7 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.92 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
4.7 Mt
|
Silver
|
76.55 g/t
|
Proven & Probable
|
4.7 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.78 g/t
|
Measured
|
6.74 Mt
|
Zinc
|
6.4 %
|
Measured
|
6.74 Mt
|
Lead
|
0.69 %
|
Measured
|
6.74 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.98 %
|
Measured
|
6.74 Mt
|
Silver
|
68.5 g/t
|
Measured
|
6.74 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.7 g/t
|
Indicated
|
0.89 Mt
|
Zinc
|
7.98 %
|
Indicated
|
0.89 Mt
|
Lead
|
0.91 %
|
Indicated
|
0.89 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.11 %
|
Indicated
|
0.89 Mt
|
Silver
|
102.82 g/t
|
Indicated
|
0.89 Mt
|
Gold
|
2.45 g/t
|
Measured & Indicated
|
7.64 Mt
|
Zinc
|
6.59 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
7.64 Mt
|
Lead
|
0.72 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
7.64 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.99 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
7.64 Mt
|
Silver
|
72.52 g/t
|
Measured & Indicated
|
7.64 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.79 g/t
|
Inferred
|
0.87 Mt
|
Zinc
|
9.45 %
|
Inferred
|
0.87 Mt
|
Lead
|
1.05 %
|
Inferred
|
0.87 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.81 %
|
Inferred
|
0.87 Mt
|
Silver
|
136.52 g/t
|
Inferred
|
0.87 Mt
|
Gold
|
2.87 g/t
|
Operating Costs:
| Units | 2014 | 2013 |
Direct operating costs ($/t milled)
|
USD
| 163 | 137 |
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