Name: Copper Mountain mine.

Location: The Copper Mountain mine is located about 20 km south of Princeton, in British Columbia, Canada.

Mine Owner/s: Copper Mountain Mining Corporation, or CMCC, (75%) and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, or MMC, (25%).

Brief Description: The Copper Mountain mine is an openpit, truck-and-shovel operation.

Brief History: Mining has been conducted at Copper Mountain for 64 of the past 91 years and can be divided into three major eras. From 1927 to 1957, Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting and Power Company operated an underground mine at the site.

From 1972 to 1996, Newmont Mining and later, Princeton Mining Corporation, produced copper (with gold and silver) from the Ingerbelle deposit and three closely spaced openpits on Copper Mountain.

Mining ceased in 1996 because of low copper prices. CMMC acquired the property in 2006, and following extensive exploration and engineering studies from 2007 to 2009, partnered with MMC, built a new 35 000 t/d mill, acquired a new mining fleet and placed the mine into production in mid-2011.

Primary Metals/Minerals: Copper.

Secondary Metals/Minerals: Gold and silver.

Geology/Mineralisation: Copper Mountain is a large, submarine, mafic volcano, where the magmatic source rocks have intruded into the volcanic pile. Intrusive-related hydrothermal activity was accompanied by active tectonism, resulting in strong structural control of mineralisation and associated alteration.

Metal grades are generally independent of either rock type or alteration type and intensity, and more dependent on fracture intensity and orientation, as well as proximity to major conduits of hydrothermal fluids such as large premineral faults. The highest-grade zones are commonly associated with intersecting fracture systems that form vertically oriented pipe-like features.

Most of the copper/gold mineralisation at Copper Mountain comprises veins, fracture fillings and disseminations within volcanic rocks of the Nicola Group. Only minor mineralisation is hosted in intrusive rocks, and most of this is located on the north side of Pit 2 and north of Lost Horse Gulch.

Mineralisation at Copper Mountain is a 4 km x 3 km triangular area, bounded by premineral intrusive rocks. The eastern part of the mineralised area is also cut by many barren, post-mineral felsite dykes, which require consideration during resource estimation and mine planning.

Mineralisation has strong vertical continuity, and dominant orientations for veins and fractures varies with location. Mineralisation comprises chalcopyrite, bornite and chalcocite (hypogene), with gangue sulphide and oxide minerals of pyrite, magnetite and calcite.

Overall, copper-bearing sulphide minerals are more abundant than pyrite in the ore zones. Alteration associated with mineralisation includes sodic and potassic metasomatism, with the sodic alteration predominant in the south, and potassic alteration predominant in the north.

Reserves: Total proven and probable reserves as at January 1, 2020, were estimated at 465.6-million grading 0.23%, 0.1 g/t gold and 0.73 g/t silver.

Resources: Total measured and indicated resources as at January 1, 2020, were estimated at 584.34-million tonnes grading 0.23% copper, 0.1 g/t gold and 0.72 g/t silver. Inferred resources were estimated at 276.7-million tonnes grading 0.2% copper, 0.1 g/t gold and 0.49 g/t silver.

Mining Method: Copper Mountain employs conventional openpit mining techniques comprising blasthole drilling, blasting, shovel loading, and rigid-frame, rear-dump truck haulage.

Major Infrastructure and Equipment: The mine has a 40 000 t/d plant that uses a conventional crushing, grinding and flotation circuit to produce copper concentrates with gold and silver credits. Plant throughput is expected to increase to 45 000 t/d with the installation of a third ball mill. With the plant expansion, average production is expected to increase from 90 million pounds of copper equivalent to 120-million pounds of copper equivalent.

The property is accessible by a combination of highways and paved roads and is close to the port of Vancouver that provides service for shipment of copper concentrates.

Prospects: Based on reserves only, and with the integration of the New Ingerbelle deposit, which is located 1 km from the Copper Mountain mine, the operation’s current mine life is estimated at 31 years. Further potential exists through the upgrading of resources to reserves and further exploration.

Contact Details:
Copper Mountain Mining Corporation
Tel +1 604 682 2992
Website https://www.cumtn.com/