Name and Location
La Granja copper project, Peru.
Client
Rio Tinto.
Project Description
La Granja is one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in the world and has the potential to produce about 500 000 t/y of copper, with a life-of-mine longer than 30 years.
The project currently has a drill-inferred mineral inventory of 2.8-billion tonnes, at 0.51% copper and 0.11% zinc.
Value
By the end of 2012, Rio Tinto had already spent more than $365-million on exploration and related activities.
Duration
Mine production is scheduled to begin in late 2017.
Latest Developments
Rio Tinto is developing the project in a phased approach, allowing the company to manage key risks associated with greenfield copper projects, while also maintaining the option to expand the project in future.
A lot of work has been done on the project’s processing options and it has been determined that the La Granja ore is amenable to heap leaching. The strategy is to send high-grade ore through a concentrator to maximise recovery, while the lower-grade ore will go through a leaching process.
Rio is undertaking a prefeasibility study (PFS) on the project and is also exploring the peripheral areas for additional resources.
The PFS is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.
Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.
On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.
Contact Details for Project Information
Rio Tinto manager: investor relations Christopher Maitland, tel +61 3 9283 3063, fax +61 39650 9036 or
email chris.maitland@riotinto.com.