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Crixas Mine & Processing Facility

Plant in Goias, Brazil with commodity Gold
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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. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Ownership information
  13. Production statistics
  14. Reserves and resources
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10182422
MAS/MILS ID 3510170024
Record type Site
Current site name Crixas Mine & Processing Facility
Alternate or previous names Mina 3 Gold Mine.

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Town
Geographic coordinates: -49.9824, -14.41441 (WGS84)
Elevation 250
Location accuracy 5000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Goias(province)

Brazil(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Brazil Goias

Comments on the location information

  • LAT/LONG ARE FOR THE TOWN OF CRIXAS, WHICH IS 3KM NORTH OF THE MINE/BENEF PLANT COMPLEX.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Arsenopyrite Unknown
Pyrrhotite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Town (1) -49.9824, -14.41441
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 2.8M
    Depth to top 200M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 LENTICULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 MASS SULFIDE
    Shape of Orebody #2 PIPELIKE
    Shape of Orebody #3 MANTLELIKE
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Secondary mode of Origin METAMORPHISM
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Secondary Ore Control FOLDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 PYRITIZATION
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 150
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 930330

Comments on the geologic information

  • GEOLOGICALLY, THE REGION OF CRIXAS SURROUNDS THE TOWN OF PILAR DE GOIAS AND IS ENCLOSED IN THE GOIANO MASSIF, BETWEEN THE CRATONS OF SAO FRANCISCO, EAST, AND GUARAPE, WEST. THE REGION IS CHARACTERIZED THROUGH THE PRESENCE OF ELONGATED VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY ZONES, STRIKING NORTHEAST, WITH TIGHT ISOCLINAL FOLDS PLUNGING TO THE SOUTHWEST. THE VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY SEQUENCE CALLED CRIXAS IS IN CONCORDANT CONTACT WITH THE CAIAMAR BLOCK TO THE EAST, AND WITH THE ARAXA GROUP, TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST. THE GEOLOGY OF THE AREAS OF THE CRIXAS PROJECT ARE REPRESENTED, IN THE MAIN PART, WITH A METAMORPHOSED VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY SEQUENCE, PERTAINING TO THE PILAR DE GOIAS GROUP, COVERED PARTIALLY TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST BY ARGILLACEOUS METASEDIMENTS OF THE ARAXA GROUP.
  • AT MINA 3, THE CURRENT MINE, THE MINERALIZATION OCCURS IN THREE DISTINCT ZONES: THE UPPER, INTERMEDIATE, AND THE LOWER. THE LOWER ZONE LIES CONFORMABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF ARGILLITIC SEDIMENTS IN CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH VOLCANIC EVENTS REPRESENTED BY METAMORPHOSED CHERTS. THIS MINERALIZED HORIZON OF GOLD ORE CONSISTS OF A FEW SULFIDES, PYRRHOTITE AND ARSENOPYRITE, DISSEMINATED IN GRAPHITIC SHISTS NEAR THE LEVEL OF "METACHERTS". THE UPPER AND INTERMEDIATE ZONES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ACIDIC VOLCANICS, TUFFS, ASSOCIATED WITH CHEMICAL SEDIMENTATION COMPRISED PREDOMINATELY OF MASSIVE AND DISSEMINATED GOLD MINERALIZATION.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1975
Mining method Combined Methods
Year of first production 1989
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Precipitation
Milling method Merrill-Crowe

Mining district

District name Goias

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Patented

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Tvx Gold Inc.
    Interest 50
    Home office Canada
    Year 1992
  • Type Owner
    Owner Mineracao Morro Velho S. A.
    Interest 50
    Home office Brazil
    Year 1992
  • Type Operator
    Owner Mineracao Serra Grande S/A
    Home office Brazil
    Year 1992

Production statistics

  • Year 1990
    Ore mined 328400mt
    Description Ore Production 328400 Mt Yr
  • Year 1991
    Ore mined 372850mt
    Description Ore Production 372850 Mt Yr
  • Year 1991
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Gold Production (Estimated) 3065 Kg (Or 98,550 Troy Oz).
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 3065000g
  • Year 1992
    Ore mined 405000mt
    Description Ore Production 405000 Mt Yr
  • Year 2012
    Period 1993-2012
    Ore mined 420000mt
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Ore Production 1993-2012 Proposed 420000 Mt Yr

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION SET RECORDS 002-005 BASED ON 1994-94 GOLD STUDY ETD.
  • THE FIRST GOLD POUR OF DORE BULLION WAS IN NOVEMBER, 1989 FROM DEVELOPMENT ORE. ORE PRODUCTION BEGAN IN 1990, WITH TOTAL ORE OF 212,822 METRIC TONS AT 10.87 GRAMS OF GOLD PER METRIC TON. FOR THE YEAR 1990, TOTAL GOLD PRODUCTION WAS ESTIMATED TO AMOUNT TO 3,005,400 GRAMS OF GOLD OR 96,630 TROY OUNCES FROM 212,822 METRIC TONS OF ORE PLUS 114,823 METRIC TONS OF STOCKPILE ORE AT 5.62 GRAMS OF GOLD PER METRIC TON. THE MINE IS TO BE EXPANDED IN 1992 TO 405,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE PRODUCTION, WHICH WILL INCREASE TO 420,000 METRIC TONS PER YEAR THEREAFTER. AFTER EXPANSION, GOLD PRODUCTION WILL AVERAGE ABOUT 120,000 TROY OUNCES PER YEAR. PRODUCTION IN 1989 AMOUNTED TO 9,771 METRIC TONS OF DEVELOPMENT ORE AT 9.95 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD AND 50,932 METRIC TONS OF ORE AT 8.54 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD. IN 1990, DEVELOPMENT ORE AMOUNTED TO 6,149 METRIC TONS OF ORE AT 5.03 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD AND 206,673 METRIC TONS OF ROM ORE AT 11.05 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD. THE TOTAL PRODUCTION FOR THE YEAR 1990 WAS 212,822 METRIC TONS AT 10.87 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD. PRODUCTION IN APRIL 1991 WAS 31,891 METRIC TONS OF ORE AT 11.01 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD. ANNUAL PRODUCTION IN THE FIRST PHASE OF OPERATION IS APPROXIMATELY 360,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE PER YEAR. CAPACITY PRODUCTION EQUALS 400 KILOGRAMS PER MONTH OF GOLD FROM UNDERGROUND ORE, OR 4,800 KILOGRAMS PER YEAR; PLUS 50 TO 60 KILOGRAMS PER MONTH FROM OPEN PIT, UNTIL MID-1992. TOTAL PRODUCTION IS CURRENTLY 5,400 KILOGRAMS PER YEAR, OR 173,600 OUNCES. WITH THE EXPANSION OF PLANT CAPACITY, PRODUCTION FROM 1992 ONWARDS IS PLANNED TO BE 6,000 KILOGRAMS PER YEAR.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1990
    Measured 2425519mt ore
    Indicated 4002795mt ore
    Demonstrated 6428314mt ore
    Inferred 380362mt ore
    Total resources 6808676mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 11.72 g/mt Gold Major 1990
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1991
    Demonstrated 6500000mt ore
    Total resources 6500000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 11.78 g/mt Gold Major 1991
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 8460000mt ore
    Total resources 8460000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 9.6 g/mt Gold Major 1994

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • CURRENT OWNERSHIP IS INCO GOLD (50%) AND MINERACAO MORRO VELHO (50%). CAPACITY IS 360,000 MTPY ORE TO RECOVER 120,000 OZ AU. STARTUP PLANNED FOR DECEMBER 1989. INITIAL CAPITAL $68 MILLION 1993 RESOURCE/GRADE/CAP DATA BASED ON THE 1993-94 GOLD STUDY ETD.
  • Q1-MAT1: RESOURCES DATA USED IN THE 1993-94 WORLD GOLD STUDY. RESOURCES DATA FORM ETD; GRADE DATA CALCULATED FROM GRADE DATA ON ETD.
  • INDICATED RESERVES ARE 4,002,795 METRIC TONS AT 12.75 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD, AND INFERRED RESERVES ARE 380,362 METRIC TONS AT 13.38 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD. THE CUTOFF GRADE FOR THE RESOURCE ESTIMATE IS 3.0 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD. IN ADDITION, AN ADJACENT OREBODY, THE MINA NOVA CONTAINS 2,767,000 METRIC TONS OF INDICATED ORE AT 5.83 GRAMS PER METRIC TON OF GOLD.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 450M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method ROOM AND PILLAR 10-34
    Number of Shafts 1
    Length of Inclines (m) 1100
    Slope of Inclines 14
    Number of Inclines 1
    1st Condition of Workings UNKNOWN
    Capacity 986
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 29.59
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 279
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1991

Comments on other economic factors

  • TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE UNDERGROUND MINE, A 4 BY 4.5 METER RAMP WAS DRIVEN TO THE 150 METER LEVEL. MINING METHODS AT CRIXAS INCLUDE MECHANIZED CUT AND FILL WITH RAMP ACCESS AND ROOM AND PILLAR WITH SLUSHER MUCKING. ACCESS IS VIA AN 1,100 METER RAMP DOWN TO THE 150 LEVEL. THE RAMP SLOPES 15 PERCENT DOWN TO LEVEL 50, AND 12 PERCENT DOWN TO LEVEL 150. THE RAMP IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED BELOW THE 150 LEVEL AND WILL EVENTUALLY EXTEND DOWN TO THE 550 LEVEL. A 450 METER SHAFT WILL BE SUNK IN 1992 FOR ORE AND WASTE HAULAGE. THE PRINCIPAL VENTILATION REQUIREMENT IS FOR EXHAUST, WITH TWO CENTRIFUGAL EXHAUST FANS OPERATING AT A CAPACITY OF 207 CUBIC METERS PER SECOND. THE TWO FANS ARE INSTALLED AT THE SURFACE AT THE TOP OF THE VENTILATION SHAFT. WATER INTERSECTS THE OREBODY AT A DEPTH OF 70 METERS. THE PUMPING RATE IS 100 CUBIC METERS OF WATER PER HOUR. THE CAPACITY OF THE PUMP STATION IS 180 CUBIC METERS PER HOUR.
  • THE 70 PERCENT GOLD BULLION IS TRUCKED TO NOVA LIMA, WHICH IS OUTSIDE OF BELO HORIZONTE, FOR REFINING AT MORRO VELHO. ALL OF THE GOLD PRODUCED IN BRAZIL IS SOLD TO THE GOVERNMENT AT A PRICE WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 10 PERCENT ABOVE WORLD PRICES. IN JULY 1991, THE PRICE PAID TO MINING COMPANIES WAS $408 PER TROY OUNCE. THE SPOT PRICE AT THAT TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY $370 PER TROY OUNCE.
  • THE MINED ORE PASSES THROUGH A THREE STAGE CRUSHING CIRCUIT CONSISTING OF ONE JAW CRUSHER AND TWO CONE CRUSHERS. CRUSHER PRODUCT PASSES THROUGH THE GRINDING CIRCUIT WHICH CONSISTS OF ONE 12 BY 18 FOOT BALL MILL, 80 MILLIMETER BALLS, IN CLOSED CIRCUIT WITH A HYDROCYCLONE FOR CLASSIFICATION. MILL PRODUCT IS THICKENED AND SENT TO A SERIES OF 6 PRIMARY LEACH TANKS AND EIGHT SECONDARY LEACH TANKS WITH A CAPACITY OF 202 CUBIC METERS EACH. AFTER THE SODIUM CYANIDE LEACH, THE LEACHATE UNDERGOES TWO STAGES OF FILTRATION. THE FILTER CAKE IS TREATED WITH ZINC POWDER AND LEAD NITRATE TO PRODUCE A GOLD-BEARING PRECIPITATE. THE PRECIPITATE IS MELTED TO A 70 PERCENT GOLD BULLION WHICH IS SHIPPED TO NOVA LIMA FOR REFINING. THE BENEFICIATION PLANT OPERATES THREE SHIFTS PER DAY, SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK EXCEPT FOR THE CRUSHER CIRCUIT, WHICH ONLY OPERATES TWO SHIFTS PER DAY, SIX DAYS PER WEEK. THE CONCENTRATING OPERATION IS SHUT DOWN FROM DECEMBER 20TH THROUGH JANUARY 10TH EACH YEAR FOR THE HOLIDAYS, EXCEPT FOR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS. OVERALL MILL CAPACITY IS 360,000 METRIC TONS OF ORE PER YEAR.
  • FROM THE START, CRIXAS WAS 50 PERCENT OWNED BY KENNECOTT MINERACAO MORRO VELHO. A DECISION TO PROCEED WITH THE CRIXAS PROJECT WAS MADE IN OCTOBER 1987.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, "BRAZIL", 22 OCT 93, P. 4-5.

  • Reserve-Resource

    S. SOPHER, CRIXAS GOLD PROJECT BRAZIL, PRESENTED AT

  • Reserve-Resource

    THE 97TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST MINING ASSOCIATION CONVENTION

  • Reserve-Resource

    IN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON (DEC. 4-6 1991).

  • Reserve-Resource

    AME MINERAL ECONOMICS QUARTERLY MINE ANALYSIS, JUN 93, P.29.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 28-JUL-94 Peterson, Gary R. 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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