Mallay mine, Peru

21st September 2018 By: Thabi Shomolekae - Creamer Media Senior Writer

Mallay mine, Peru

Name: Mallay mine.

Location: Mallay is located in Oyón, about 261 km north-east of Lima in Peru.

Holding and Controlling Company: Buenaventura.

Brief Description: The Mallay project is a silver/zinc/lead deposit.

Brief History: Mallay started operations in 2012.

Products: Silver, lead and zinc.

Geology/Mineralisation: This is a fracture-filling and replacement-type mesothermal deposit, with silver/lead/zinc mineralisation. Many of the mineralised structures are located in quartz arenites from the Farrat formation, while another part is emplaced in Jumasha limestones.

The main structure is Isguiz, emplaced in the north flank of the anticlinal of the same name. From here, a series of tensional veins run east-west. In Jumasha limestone, further north, is the Pierina veins system, with similar mineralisation, but with the occurrence of gold.

Reserves: Total proven and probable gold reserves as at December 31, 2017, were estimated at 193-million tonnes grading 6.45 oz silver, 3.58% lead and 7.55% zinc.

Mining Method: The mine uses overhand cut-and-fill, and bench-and-fill in some parts of the deposit.

Major Infrastructure and Equipment: The exploitation of ore is primarily focused on the Isguiz. Production is recirculated to the pits and the excess material is transported to the surface.

Mining is undertaken at five operating levels, with the lowest level in development being 4090.

Access to the veins is by rail, through cross-cut shafts from the surface. The main cross-cut shaft for extraction is located at level 4150, where the ore is transported by electric locomotives and mining cars to the surface, and discharged into a hopper to the concentration plant using 30 t trucks.

The mine water is drained at level 4150 to settling and treatment ponds, from where it is sent to the concentrating plant and mine.

Mallay plant processes ore originating from the Mallay, Chanca and Uchucchacua mines, in successive campaigns. The metallurgical process comprises the primary crushing, secondary crushing, milling/sorting, lead/silver flotation, zinc flotation, concentrate thickening and filtering, tailings thickening and filtering, and pumping stages. The zinc/silver concentrate is sold directly.

Prospects: Centralising and stopping the deepening of the mine have achieved positive results.

Contact: Buenaventura investor relations Rodrigo Echecopar.

Contact Details:

Buenaventura

Tel +511 419 2500 ext 2591

Email rodrigo.echecopar@buenaventura.pe

Website http://www.buenaventura.com/