Name of the Project
Vizcachitas copper/molybdenum project.

Location
About 150 km north-east from Santiago, Chile.

Project Owner/s
Los Andes Copper.

Project Description
A preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on the project has highlighted its strong financial viability.

The project has measured and indicated resources estimated at 1.28-billion tonnes, with a 0.45% copper equivalent grade and 0.40% copper grade (at 0.25% copper cutoff grade).

Envisaged is an openpit mine, and a concentrator plant that produces copper and molybdenum concentrates. The PEA evaluated three cases with mill throughputs of 55 000 t/d, 110 000 t/d and 200 000 t/d.

The 110 000 t/d case has been recommended to advance to the prefeasibility study (PFS).

The project has an estimated 45-year mine life.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $1.8-billion and an internal rate of return of 20.77%, with a payback of 5.4 years from initial construction and 3.4 years from initial operations.

Capital Expenditure
Initial capital expenditure is estimated at $1.87-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Los Andres Copper has received unanimous approval from the regional environmental committee for drilling to be undertaken at the Vizcachitas project.

The regional environmental committee unanimously approved the drilling permit application submitted by Compañia Minera Vizcachitas Holding, the wholly owned subsidiary of Los Andes that owns the Vizcachitas project.

The approval enables the company to drill up to 350 holes on up to 124 platforms over the next four years, if required.

Los Andes Copper will now conduct the drilling to complete a prefeasibility study (PFS). The proposed work plan includes infill drilling within the PFS openpit, drilling to extend the higher-grade mineralisation to the north of the PEA pit and to test the prospective geophysical targets identified in 2020.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Tetra Tech Chile (PEA).

Contact Details for Project Information
Los Andes Copper, email info@losandescopper.com.