JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX- and TSX-listed base metals-miner Mirabela Nickel has started mining at its Santa Rita open-cut nickel sulphide mine, in Brazil.

The mine will start with a production capacity of 4,6-million tons a year, and later increase to a capacity of 6,4-million tons a year during the second quarter of 2009. The operation has an expected life-of-mine of 19 years, based on a proven and probable reserve.

“The start of the owner-operator mining at Santa Rita is an important milestone for Mirabela shareholders. Only five years ago, we made the largest nickel sulphide discovery over a decade, and we remain on track to be the largest independently-owned nickel sulphide project world wide,” said Mirabela MD Nick Poll.

“This is a great achievement for an independent company, and testimony to the benefits of operating in Brazil.”

In May this year, contractors completed pre-stripping and stockpiled about 170 000 t of run-of-mine ore. Mirabela noted in a statement that float test recovery work on this ore was in line with expectations, and an additional 800 000 t of ore was pre-stripped with a strip ratio of 2:1.

The stockpiled and pre-stripped ore was adequate for commissioning the plant, due to start upon the completion of construction, in late September. The start-up schedule allowed for several months to prepare the mine and mining team for the onset of full production requirements, during the ramp-up phase.

The company reported that with a joint ore reserves committee compliant indicated resource of 130-million ton, grading 0,60% nickel, for 780 000 t of contained nickel, Santa Rita was the largest nickel sulphide discovery worldwide, for over a decade.

The operation was expected to start with a  name plate capacity of 18 500 t/y of nickel in concentrate, increasing to 26 000 t/y of nickel by mid 2010.

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