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Canada
Myra Falls Mine

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 Location:
45 km W from Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada

  Address:
P.O. Box 8000
Campbell River
British Columbia, Canada
V9W 5E2
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Costs & Financials
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeUnderground
Commodities
  • Zinc
  • Lead
  • Copper
  • Silver
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Cut & Fill
  • Drift & Fill
  • Sub-level stoping
  • Hydraulic backfill
Processing
  • Gravity separation
  • Filter press plant
  • Dewatering
  • Centrifugal concentrator
  • Flotation
Mine Life10 years (as of Jan 1, 2022)
In July 2019, Nyrstar’s operating business became majority owned by Trafigura. Production numbers have not been publicly available since then.


Owners

Source:
CompanyInterestOwnership
Nyrstar Myra Falls Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
Trafigura Group Pte Ltd. 100 % Indirect
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.

Deposit Type

  • VMS


Summary:

The Myra Falls orebody is a classic Volcanic Hosted Massive Sulphide (VHMS) deposit. It is a composite of sulphide lenses that were emplaced in a very dynamic, rapidly changing environment of submarine volcanism, massive debris flow, and constant tectonic activity. This active period was followed by a time of quiet, widespread sedimentation (cherts and argillites). The second cycle of volcanic activity and mineral emplacement subsequently occurred producing the Lynx-Myra-Price deposits.

Sulphide ore deposits are structurally controlled along narrow rift and trough features that have produced a system that is at least 10 km in length. The Myra ore deposits are situated in a Paleozoic group of rocks known as the Sicker Group, which comprises four main lower units that make up the stratigraphic package hosting the Price Deposit. The units that are proximal to the project area are the Price Formation, Myra Formation, Thelwood Formation, and Flower Ridge Formation. The Myra and Price Formations are unconformably overlain by the rocks of the Thelwood Formation and the Flower Ridge Formation.

The H-W Horizon (H-W Rhyolite and Sulphide Facies) and the Lynx-Myra-Price Horizon are the main oreproducing units at NMF. The HW Horizon is the oldest unit of the Myra Formation. It is predominantly a rhyolitic volcano-sedimentary package, comprising coarse volcaniclastics, sandstones, and mudstones, with massive quartz-feldspar porphyry bodies near the top of the horizon. The horizon may be further subdivided to include massive to semi-massive sulphide, chert, argillite-silt, fine to medium-grained rhyolitic volcaniclastic rocks, coarse-grained rhyolitic volcaniclastic rocks, ore clast breccias, and quartz-feldspar porphyry.

Massive to semi-massive sulphides occur in thick lenses, up to 35 m thick, of massive and banded ore, within the H-W Horizon. These sulphide lenses form the HW, Extension, Battle, and Ridge Zone orebodies, and the smaller more discontinuous and un-mined Marshall and Trumpeter Zones.

The Lynx-Myra-Price Horizon is a deformed and discontinuous rhyolitic package that occurs near the top of the Myra Formation and hosts Lynx-Myra-Price mineralization. The thickness of the rhyolitic unit is variable, ranging from 1 to 45 m thick. The unit consists of massive and bedded, fine to coarse-grained quartz-feldspar phyric rhyolitic volcaniclastics, laminated chert and massive and semi-massive sulphides in the Lynx, Myra and Price orebodies. The dominant sulphide species are chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite and galena, and the orebodies of this horizon may be characterised by abundant barite.

The alteration mineralogy at Myra Falls includes sericite and silica with subordinate chlorite, albite, and carbonate. Sulphide mineralogy of pyrite+/-chalcopyrite+/-sphalerite+/-galena+/ tennantite is also present in varying modal percentages as disseminations and veinlets. The overall depth and lateral distribution of the hydrothermal system for the Myra Falls deposits has not yet been defined. Zones of pyrite stringer mineralization have been observed to underlie the H-W, Battle, Lynx and Myra deposits (Juras, 1987). Sinclair (2000) has identified three main mineral assemblages that occur within the Myra Falls stratigraphy. These are a polymetallic Cu-Pb-Zn-Fe rich mineral assemblage that can be found within the H-W, Battle Gap, Extension and Ridge zones, a Cu-rich mineral assemblage that is typically a basal unit and found in close relation to the bottom of the sulphide mineralization, and a late stage Ag-Au rich assemblage that is commonly associated with the upper mineralized units of the H-W Horizon.


Mining Methods

  • Cut & Fill
  • Drift & Fill
  • Sub-level stoping
  • Hydraulic backfill


Summary:

Mining activities occur within the following areas:
- The Myra, the Lynx, the HW mining area;
- The Price mining area.

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.


Crushing and Grinding
Flow Sheet: Source
Crusher / Mill TypeModelSizePowerQuantity
Cone crusher
Mobile jaw crusher 1
Ball mill 1
Rod mill 1

Summary:

Lynx ROM is hauled over surface from the underground mine to the HW jaw crusher for processing along with ROM ore from the other three mines. Once crushed, ore will be covered conveyors to the Coarse Ore Bin and multiphase stockpile for temporary overflow storage.

The Coarse Ore Bin will discharge to conveyor #4 which will transfer the ore to the Crushing/Screening Plant for cone crushing and fine milling.

Once material is crushed, it will be sent to the mill for processing. Fine ore bin grinding consists of a primary rod mill and secondary ball mill.


Processing

  • Gravity separation
  • Filter press plant
  • Dewatering
  • Centrifugal concentrator
  • Flotation

Flow Sheet: Subscription required

Summary:

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 reports to the 32’ Cu concentrate thickener. Copper rougher scavenger tail and Cu cleaner scavenger tail are conditioned and then spit into two Zn rougher circuits.

Zinc rougher concentrate from both circuits are combined and pumped to the Zn regrind pump box where Cu sulfate and collector blend are added to reactivate Zn, and lime is added to adjust pH, aiding Fe depression. The Zn final column concentrate reports to the 32’ Zn concentrate thickener whereas the column tail reports to the Z ........

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter201820152014
Zinc Recovery Rate, % 60.989.789.1
Zinc Head Grade, % 2.146.916.43
Lead Recovery Rate, % 3.523.544.3
Lead Head Grade, % 0.310.470.72
Copper Recovery Rate, % 65.363.170.8
Copper Head Grade, % 0.190.690.7
Silver Recovery Rate, % 76.485.982.5
Silver Head Grade, g/t 25.551.995
Gold Recovery Rate, % 73.169.577.2
Gold Head Grade, g/t 0.61.242.04
Zinc Concentrate Grade, % 52.952.9
Lead Concentrate Grade, % 4032.6
Copper Concentrate Grade, % 22.222.1

Production:

CommodityProductUnits2018201520142013
Zinc Concentrate kt 0.4175151
Zinc Metal in concentrate kt 0.692727
Lead Concentrate kt  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Copper Concentrate kt  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Copper Metal in concentrate kt  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Silver Metal in concentrate koz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Gold Metal in concentrate koz  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
Lead Metal in concentrate kt  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required
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Operational Metrics:

Metrics2018201520142013
Tonnes milled 45 kt of ore145 kt of ore466 kt of ore523 kt of ore

Reserves at December 31, 2018:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGrade
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:

Units2014
Direct operating costs ($/t milled) USD 163


Heavy Mobile Equipment:

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 12, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 12, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 12, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 12, 2022
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 12, 2022
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesYear
Subscription required 2022
Subscription required 2017
Subscription required 2014

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2019
Annual Report 2018
Fact Sheet 2018
Press Release 2018
Press Release 2018
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2018
Annual Report 2017
Fact Sheet 2017
Technical Report 2017
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2017
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2016
Annual Report 2015
Press Release 2015
Annual Report 2014
Year-end Mineral Reserves 2014
Project Description 2005
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Aerial view:

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