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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Eppawella

Plant in Sri Lanka with commodity Phosphorus-Phosphates
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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. Ownership information
  11. Production statistics
  12. Reserves and resources
  13. Workings at the site
  14. Links to other databases
  15. Bibliographic references
  16. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10239570
MAS/MILS ID 5420000009
Record type Site
Current site name Eppawella

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 80.66701, 8.16747 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 10000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Sri Lanka(country)

Geographic areas

Country
Sri Lanka

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Phosphorus-Phosphates Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Apatite Unknown
Goethite Unknown
Hematite Unknown
Magnetite Unknown
Rutile Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 80.66701, 8.16747
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 120M
    Length 5000M
    Width 800M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 STOCKWORK
    Shape of Orebody #1 LENTICULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 LATERITE
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FOLDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 CARBONITIZATION
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Date of Last Modification 911002

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE EPPAWELLA CARBONITITE COMPLEX COMPRISES A STEEPLY DIPPING, LENTICULAR BODY, UP TO 800M IN WIDTH EXTENDING FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 5 KM IN A NORTH SOUTH DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE REGIONAL FOLIATION OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY ROCKS, WHICH CONSIST OF PRECAMBRIAN GNEISSES, CHARNOCKITES AND QUARTZITES. THE CARBONITITE HAS BEEN LEACHED TO DEPTHS OF 60M OR MORE, THE "LEACHED ZONE" ROCK CONSISTING OF CRYSTALS AND GRAINS OF APATITE IN A FINE-GRAINED PALE BROWN MATRIX COMPOSED OF SECONDARY CARBONATE-APATITE (FRANCOLITE), MARTITE (HEMATITE AFTER MAGNETITE), RUTILE, AND GOETHITE.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Plant
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1971
Mining method Open Pit
Year of first production 1973
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Crush
Milling method Sizing

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Mining And Development Corp. Of Sri Lanka (Smmdc- Government)
    Interest 51
    Home office Sri Lanka
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner Agrico Chemical Co.
    Interest 49
    Home office Florida
    Year 1985

Production statistics

  • Year 1985
    Description Mt Crushed Apatite Rock 1985 17925
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major APATITE Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 17925mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Mt Crushed Apatite Rock 1986 14977
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major APATITE Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 14977mt
  • Year 1987
    Description Mt Crushed Apatite Rock 1987 24440
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major APATITE Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 24440mt

Comments on the production information

  • ORE FROM THE EPPAWELLA DEPOSIT IS VERY ACIDIC. MAKING BENEFICIATION DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE. HOWEVER, NEW METHODS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR MORE EFFICIENT MILLING.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1990
    Measured 20000000mt ore
    Indicated 30000000mt ore
    Inferred 50000000mt ore
    Total resources 50000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Phosphorus-Phosphates P2O5 35 wt-pct Phosphorus Major 1990

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 243HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Capacity 2466
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1985

Comments on other economic factors

  • EXPLOITATION OF THE DEPOSIT BEGAN IN 1973 ON A SMALL SCALE, PRODUCING DIRECT APPLICATION GROUND PHOSPHATE ROCK. IN 1982, AGRICO ENTERED INTO A JOINT-VENTURE WITH SMMDC TO EXPAND MINING OPERATIONS TO 1 MIL. MTPY, AS WELL AS BUILD A PHOSPHORIC ACID PLANT AT TRINCOMOLEE. IN 1988, THE PROJECT WAS POSTPONED.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, MARCH 1990, PP. 134-135.

  • Deposit

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, OCTOBER 1983, P. 50.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW, 1984, P. 352.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, MAY 1984, P. 466.

  • Deposit

    "PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER FROM SRI LANKAN APATITE", MINING

  • Deposit

    MAGAZINE, JANUARY 1985, PP. 10-11.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW, 1985, P. 395.

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL MINING, AUG 1986, PP. 100-101.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW, 1987, PP. 369-370.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, DECEMBER, 11, 1987, P.481.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORPORATION, WORLD SURVEY OF PHOSPHATE

  • Deposit

    DEPOSITS, FIFTH ED., 1987, LONDON, PP. 204-205.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW, 1988, P. 350.

  • Deposit

    PHOSPHOROUS & POTASSIUM, NO. 154, MAR/APR 1988, PP. 11-12.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 23-SEP-96 Fantel, Richard J. 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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