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Prrenjas Mines (See Names)

Producer in Pogradec, Albania with commodities Cobalt, Iron, Nickel
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mineral rights holdings
  11. Ownership information
  12. Production statistics
  13. Workings at the site
  14. Links to other databases
  15. Bibliographic references
  16. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10231239
MAS/MILS ID 4810370003
Record type Site
Current site name Prrenjas Mines (See Names)
Alternate or previous names Mines Is the Perrenjas Mines., The Prrenjas Mines Include The, Following Mines:, 1 Bushtrica Mine,, 2 Skroska I Mine,, 3 Skroska Ii Mine,, 4 Prrenjas Mine, and The, 5 Katjiel Mine, An Alternate Name For the Prrenjas

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 20.53512, 41.09878 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 10000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Pogradec(province)

Albania(country)

Geographic areas

Country State
Albania Pogradec

Comments on the location information

  • THE LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE VALUES ARE APPROXIMATE. PRRENJAS IS COMPRISED OF FIVE MINES: BUSHTRICA, PRRENJAS, SKROSHKA I, SKROSKA II, AND KATJIEL. OPERATING DAYS PER YEAR WERE ASSUMED TO BE 250.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Cobalt Critical Tertiary
Iron Primary
Nickel Critical Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Goethite Unknown
Hematite Unknown
Manganite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 20.53512, 41.09878
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 10M
    Depth to top 0M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 LATERITE
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin OTHER
    Primary Ore Control UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Date of Last Modification 920731

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE DEPOSIT CONSISTS OF A 12 METER THICK, LATERITIC LAYER OF HEMATITE AND GOETHITE WITH SMALL QUANTITIES OF MAGNETITE, ALL FORMED BY THE CHEMICAL WEATHERING OF SERPENTINIZED PERIDOTITE. THE OREBODY DIPS A AT 20 TO 25 DEGREE ANGLE. ORE IS OVERLAIN BY LIMESTONES, WHILE THE FOOTWALL OVERLIES ULTRABASIC ROCKS. BGR REPORTS THAT THE AVERAGE THICKNESS OF THE OREBODY LIES BETWEEN 5 TO 15 METERS, AND DIPS AT 18 TO 20 DEGREES.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Mining method Caving Methods - Block Caving
Milling method Handsort

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Unknown

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Minera Prrenjas
    Interest 100
    Home office Albania
    Year 1991

Production statistics

  • Year 1984
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Katjiel (Nickel Silicate) Estimated 40000 Metric Tons
  • Year 1984
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska Ii'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1984
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska I'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 200000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1984
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Prrenjas' Ore Throughput (Estimated) 250000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1984
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bushtrica'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1985
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Katjiel (Nickel Silicate) Estimated 40000 Metric Tons
  • Year 1985
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska Ii'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1985
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska I'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 200000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1985
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Prrenjas' Ore Throughput (Estimated) 250000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1985
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bushtrica'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1986
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Katjiel (Nickel Silicate) Estimated 40000 Metric Tons
  • Year 1986
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska Ii'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1986
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska I'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 200000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1986
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Prrenjas' Ore Throughput (Estimated) 250000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1986
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bushtrica'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1987
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Katjiel (Nickel Silicate) Estimated 40000 Metric Tons
  • Year 1987
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska Ii'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1987
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska I'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 200000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1987
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Prrenjas' Ore Throughput (Estimated) 250000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1987
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bushtrica'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1988
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Katjiel (Nickel Silicate) Estimated 40000 Metric Tons
  • Year 1988
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska Ii'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1988
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska I'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 200000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1988
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Prrenjas' Ore Throughput (Estimated) 250000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1988
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bushtrica'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Katjiel (Nickel Silicate) Estimated 40000 Metric Tons
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska Ii'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska I'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 200000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Prrenjas' Ore Throughput (Estimated) 250000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bushtrica'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska Ii'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Skroska I'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 200000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Prrenjas' Ore Throughput (Estimated) 250000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bushtrica'S Ore Throughput (Estimated) 100000 Metric Tons Of Ore
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Katjiel (Nickel Silicate) Estimated 40000 Metric Tons

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • THE RESOURCE TONNAGE FOR NICKEL AND COBALT WAS NOT PROVIDED BY C.R.U., AND THE RESOURCE TONNAGE OF 150 MILLION METRIC TONS IS FOR IRON ORE. THE FOLLOWING ORE GRADES ARE THE AVERAGE GRADES FOR ALL OF THE MINES. ORE FROM THE BUSHTRICA AND SKROSKA I HAS AN AVERAGE GRADE OF 48 PERCENT IRON AND .98 TO 10 PERCENT NICKEL. THE AVERAGE HEADGRADE FOR ALL OF THE MINES IS LESS, DUE TO DILUTION AT THE PRRENJAS MINE, WHICH GRADES 43 TO 44 PERCENT IRON. BGR REPORTS THE INDIVIDUAL RESERVES OF EACH OF THE MINES AS FOLLOWS: 1) BUSHTRICA HAS 1 MILLION METRIC TONS AT 45 TO 46 PERCENT IRON, 1 PERCENT NICKEL, AND .065 PERCENT COBALT; 2) SKROSKA HAS 12 MILLION METRIC TONS AT 45 TO 48 PERCENT IRON, 1 PERCENT NICKEL, AND .065 PERCENT COBALT; 3) XIXILLAS (INCLUDED IN SKROSKA); AND 4) PRRENJAS HAS 22 MILLION METRIC TONS AT 35 TO 45 PERCENT IRON, AND 1.04 PERCENT NICKEL.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method BLOCK CAVING 10-79
    Hardness of Rock UNKNOWN
    Rock Characteristics UNKNOWN
    Rock Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    1st Condition of Workings UNKNOWN
    Capacity 2760
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1991

Comments on other economic factors

  • AN AMOUNT OF 450,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE PER YEAR IS SENT TO ELBASAN, AND 200,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE PER YEAR IS EXPORTED TO KERRAMETAL IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA. NICKEL SILICATE IS EXPORTED TO GREECE. ORE IS PASSED THROUGH A JAW CRUSHER. THERE IS NO DRESSING PLANT, BUT ORE IS HANDSORTED PRIOR TO SHIPMENT TO ELBASAN OR DURRES.
  • THE COMBINED ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF THE SIX MINES IS 690,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE PER YEAR. THE KATJIEL MINE IS STRICTLY A NI-SIO2 MINE. THREE CONNECTED UNDERGROUND MINES EXPLOIT THE DEPOSIT: PRRENJAS, SKROSKA, AND BUSHTRICE. VARYING MINING METHODS ARE USED BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THE GEOLOGY. AT PRRENJAS, THE ORE HAS A FRAGILE 20 TO 30 METER CLAY HANGING WALL. TYPICAL MINING METHODS ARE: (1) PREDEVELOPMENT OF BLOCKS CONTAINING 6,000 TO 9,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE BY ESTABLISHING GULLEYS 3 TO 5 METERS BELOW THE BLOCK ALONG WITH ORE PASSES; AND (2) A VERTICAL SLICE IS REMOVED FROM THE ORE BY PRE-DRILLED, HORIZONTAL FAN HOLES. DILUTION IS HIGH AT PRRENJAS AND ONLY ABOUT 85 PERCENT OF THE ORE IS RECOVERED. ROOF CONDITIONS ARE BETTER AT BUSHTRICE AND SKROSKA. AT THESE MINES, THE RECOVERY RATE IS 85 TO 90 PERCENT WITH 5 TO 6 PERCENT DILUTION. AT BUSHTRICA AND SKROSKA I, ORE IS MINED UP-DIP OVER THE WHOLE HEIGHT OF THE ORE BODY. APPROXIMATELY 1,200 PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED AT THE MINE, AND LABOR ACCOUNTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 PERCENT OF TOTAL COSTS. OUTPUT IS PLANNED TO BE EXPANDED AT PRRENJAS TO 500,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE PER YEAR, MAKING TOTAL OUTPUT AT APPROXIMATELY 900,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE PER YEAR. THE PISHKASH MINE USED TO BE PART OF THE PRRENJAS MINES UNTIL THE RESERVES AT PISHKASH HAVE BEEN EXHAUSED. THE MINES ARE LOCATED ABOUT 15 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF LIBRASHD. THE MINING COMPLEX IS CONNECTED TO ELBASAN BY A 57 KILOMETER RAIL LINE.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Commodity

    COMMODITIES RESEARCH UNIT, LTD., THE BASE METAL INDUSTRY IN ALBANIA: AN EMERGING OPPORTUNITY, P. 60, 68 (MAY 1992).

  • Commodity

    C. KIPPENBERGER, REPORT OF AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO ALBANIA TO GATHER INFORMATION ON THE SITUATION IN THE MINERAL RESOURCES SECTOR, JULY 28, 1988 TO AUGUST 11, 1988, FEDERAL INSTITUTE FOR GEOSCIENCES AND NATURAL RESOURCES (BGR) HANNOVER, 53 PP..

  • Commodity

    MINING JOURNAL RESEARCH SERVICES IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE ALBANIAN MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY, MINES, AND ENERGY, MINING IN ALBANIA: AN EMERGING OPPORTUNITY, P. 60, 68 (MAY 1992).

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 10-MAR-97 Bleiwas, Donald U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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