Name: Yanacocha mine.
Location: Yanacocha mine is located about 48 km north of Cajamarca, in Peru.
Holding and Controlling Company: Yanacocha is owned by Minera Yanacocha (MYSRL), which is 51.35% owned by Newmont. Compañia de Minas Buenaventura owns 43.65% of MYSRL and Sumitomo Corporation owns 5%.
Brief Description: The Yanacocha property comprises the La Quinua complex, the Yanacocha complex, the Carachugo complex and Maqui Maqui openpit mines.
In addition, Yanacocha includes the La Quinua, Yanacocha, Carachugo and Maqui Maqui leach pads; the Pampa Larga, Yanacocha Norte and La Quinua gold processing plants; the China Linda limestone processing facility and the Yanacocha gold mill.
Brief History: The Yanacocha property began production in 1993.
The La Quinua Complex is currently mining material from the La Quinua Sur and the Tapado Oeste Layback and is scheduled to finish mining operations in 2019.
The Yanacocha complex began operations in 1997 and has had limited mining operations in recent years. The Yanacocha complex mines material from the Yanacocha Layback and Yanacocha Pinos and is scheduled to finish mining operations in 2019.
The Carachugo complex and Maqui Maqui mined material from multiple mines that are no longer in operation and only minimal residual leaching of gold continues.
Products: Gold.
Geology/Mineralisation: Yanacocha is an epithermal type deposit of high sulphidation hosted in volcanic rock formations. Gold is associated with iron oxides and pyrite.
Material is evaluated for gold grade and cyanide solubility and then placed on leach pads or in stockpiles for processing through the Yanacocha gold mill.
Studies are under way to evaluate the potential for mining sulphide gold and copper mineralisation.
Reserves: Total attributable proven, probable and combined gold reserves as at December 31, 2017, were estimated at 94.6-million tonnes grading 0.68 g/t gold.
Total attributable proven, probable and combined silver reserves as at December 31, 2017, were estimated at 87.5-million tonnes grading 9.6 g/t silver.
Resources: Total measured and indicated gold resources as at December 31, 2017, were estimated at 72.6-million tonnes grading 1.11 g/t gold.
Total inferred gold resources were estimated at 90-million tonnes grading 0.94 g/t gold.
Total measured and indicated copper resources as at December 31, 2017, were estimated at 55.6-million tonnes grading 0.64% copper.
Mining Method: Openpit.
Major Infrastructure and Equipment: Yanacocha’s available mining fleet comprises two shovels, four excavators, two loaders and 43 haul trucks ranging from 140-million to 240-million tonnes.
Power is supplied to the operation by Engie Energia Peru SA.
Trucks carry the ore extracted from the pit to the leaching heap.
Gold is recovered using the conventional extraction method with leaching, followed by zinc powder precipitations in the Merrill-Crowe system, and subsequent smelting, producing doré.
Prospects: A stabilisation agreement is currently in effect until December 2018 for operations in the La Quinua complex.
Brownfield exploration and development for new reserves is ongoing, including the development of Quecher Main within the existing footprint of Yanacocha. This oxide deposit will extend the life of the Yanacocha operation until 2027, with an average of about 200 000 oz between 2020 and 2025.
Quecher Main received full funding approval from the board of directors in October 2017 and is expected to reach commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Contact: Newmont Mining Corporation VP, investor relations Jessica Largent.
Contact Details:
Newmont Mining Corporation
Tel +1303 837 5484
Email Jessica.Largent@Newmont.com
Website https://www.newmont.com