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Chibuluma Mine

Producer in Copperbelt, Zambia with commodities Copper, Cobalt
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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. Mineral occurrence model information
  8. Nearby scientific data
  9. Ore body information
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Ownership information
  13. Production statistics
  14. Reserves and resources
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10232039
MAS/MILS ID 7940050009
Record type Site
Current site name Chibuluma Mine
Alternate or previous names Chibuluma Main, Chibuluma Copper-Cobalt Mine, Chibuluma-Chibuluma West

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 28.10337, -12.82897 (WGS84)
Elevation 1220
Location accuracy 500(meters)
Relative position Location from vanbrussel GoogleEarth dataset.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Copperbelt(province)

Zambia(country)

Africa(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Zambia Copperbelt

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Cobalt Critical Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bravoite Ore
Carrollite Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Bornite Unknown
Brannerite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Linnaeite Unknown

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 197
USGS model code 30b
Deposit model name Sediment-hosted Cu
Mark3 model number 63

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 28.10337, -12.82897
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N90E
    Dip 38N
    Thickness 12M
    Length 500M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Strike And Dip N90E:38N
    Date of Last Modification 830615

Comments on the geologic information

  • Ores Bravoite, Carrollite, Chalcocite, and Pyrite added from deleted record 10099668 (W006891), which also listed Bornite and Chalcopyrite.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1939
Mining method Filled Stopes
Year of first production 1955
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Central African Copper Belt

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines, Ltd. (ZCCM)
    Home office Zambia
    Year 1992
  • Type Owner
    Owner Zambia Industrial And Mining Corp., Ltd. (Zimco)
    Interest 60.3
    Home office Zambia
    Year 1992
  • Type Owner
    Owner Zambian Copper Investments, Ltd. (ZCI)
    Interest 27.3
    Home office Bermuda
    Year 1992
  • Type Joint Venture Owner-Op
    Owner Metorex
    Interest 85
    Home office Chibuluma Mines PLC\nPO Box 260499\nKalulushi, Zambia\nbsinkala@chib.com.zm
    Year 2009
    First year 2006
    Last year 2009

Comments on the ownership information

  • RST INC IS WHOLLY OWNED BY AMAX. ZAMBIAN COPPER INVESTMENT IS PARTLY OWNED BY MINOROCO (49 PERCENT); ANGLO-AMERICAN OWNS 39.99 PERCENT OF MINOROCO.

Production statistics

  • Year 1973
    Material Ore Cu-Co, assuming 90% recovery rate.
    Accuracy Estimate
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Copper Copper 90wt-pct
  • Year 2005
    Period to 2003
    Material Chibuluma E&W production to 2003:\n19Mt @ 3.61% Cu and 0.19% Co (Selley and others, 2005)
    Ore mined 19000000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
  • Year 2008
    Period Production 2006
    Material Chibuluma South, Production 2006: 363,311mt@2.7% Cu (Metorex Annual Report 2007)
    Ore mined 363311mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Copper Copper 3wt-pct
  • Year 2008
    Period Production 2007
    Material Chibuluma South, Production 2007:\n503,880 mt @ 2.9% Cu (Metorex Annual Report 2007)
    Ore mined 503880mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Copper Copper 3wt-pct
  • Year 2008
    Period Production 2008
    Material Chibuluma South, Production 2008:\n555,575 mt @ 2.9% Cu (Metorex Annual Report 2007)
    Ore mined 555575mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Copper Copper 3wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • CU/CO CONC GRADE IS 14.23%CU/3.12%CO. RECOVERY AT CHAMBISHI COBALT PLANT ASSUMED TO BE 80 %. OUTPUT ON PRODUCT DATA SETS COMES FROM JIM BOYLES CACULA- TIONS ATTACHED TO ETD, MAY 1981.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1976
    Measured 7890899mt ore
    Demonstrated 7890899mt ore
    Total resources 7890899mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Cobalt Co 0.19 wt-pct Cobalt Minor 1976
    Copper Cu 4.68 wt-pct Copper Major 1976
  • Type In-situ
    Name Chibuluma Deposit, total endowment
    Estimate year 2010
    Total endowment 29223766mt ore
    Remarks All 3 parts of Chibuluma Deposit:\nChibuluma South 7,365,766 @ 3.70\nChibuluma- Chibuluma West 19,922,000 @ 3.69\nChifupu 1,936,000 @ 3.05
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1992
    Demonstrated 4516000mt ore
    Total resources 4516000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Cobalt Co 0.14 wt-pct Cobalt Minor 1992
    Copper Cu 3.57 wt-pct Copper Major 1992
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1992
    Demonstrated 2000000mt ore
    Total resources 2000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Cobalt Co 0.12 wt-pct Cobalt Minor 1992
    Copper Cu 2.5 wt-pct Copper Major 1992
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1992
    Inferred 9000000mt ore
    Total resources 9000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Cobalt Co 0.02 wt-pct Cobalt Minor 1992
    Copper Cu 3.9 wt-pct Copper Major 1992
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1992
    Demonstrated 6516000mt ore
    Total resources 6516000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 3.24 wt-pct Copper Major 1992
    Cobalt Co 0.13 wt-pct Cobalt Minor 1992
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1992
    Demonstrated 6516000mt ore
    Total resources 6516000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Cobalt Co 0.13 wt-pct Cobalt Minor 1992
    Copper Cu 3.24 wt-pct Copper Major 1992
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1973
    Total resources 6000000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Cobalt Co 0.2 wt-pct Cobalt Secondary 1973
    Copper Cu 4.81 wt-pct Copper Primary 1973
  • Type In-situ
    Name Chibuluma West Extension below existing mine.
    Estimate year 2005
    Reserves 922000mt
    Remarks 922,000@5.3% cu and 0.11% Co. Reserve in Ext. of Chib. West below existing mine.
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Cobalt 0.11 wt-pct Cobalt Secondary 2005
    Copper 5.3 wt-pct Copper Primary 2005
  • Type In-situ
    Name Chibuluma South and Chifupu
    Estimate year 2008
    Measured 1289000mt
    Remarks Chibuluma South and Chifupu measured resources: 1.289Mt @ 3.66% Cu
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper 3.66 wt-pct Copper Primary 2008
  • Type In-situ
    Name Chibuluma South and Chifupu
    Estimate year 2008
    Indicated 4654000mt
    Remarks Chibuluma and Chifupu indicated resource:\n4,654,000 @ 4.01 Cu (Metrorex Annual Report, 2008. [http://www.metorex.co.za/downloads/annual_reports/2008/Metorex_23_Dec2008.pdf last accessed 5/27/10] )
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper 4.01 wt-pct Copper Primary 2008

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • MATRIX 1 COLUMN 1 REPRESENT COMBINED RESOURCES OF CHIBULUMA AND CHIBULUMA WEST. MATRIX 1 COLUMN 2 REPRESENTS RESOURCES FOR CHIBULUMA DEPOSIT MATRIX 1 COLUMN 3 REPRESENTS RESOURCES FOR CHIBULUMA WEST DEPOSIT. M1C1=M1C2+M1C3, M9C4=M1C1, M9C4=M9C5+M9C6.
  • ZCCM, 1988 AR, P43. (12/31/87) ZCCM, 1987 AR, P43. (12/31/86)

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 650M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method FILLED STOPES
    Number of Shafts 2
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 1644
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 26.03
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1980
  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 650M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method FILLED STOPES
    Number of Shafts 2
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 1973
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 26.03
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1980

Comments on other economic factors

  • SHAFT SINKING TO GIVE ACCESS TO EXTENSION OF MAIN ORE BODY WAS TO BE COMPLETE BY 1978, TO A DEPTH OF 807 M. COST WAS 21 MILLION. SHAFT WILL HAVE CAPACITY OF 60000 TPM.
  • PRODUCTION SHAFT AT MAIN IS TO 842 M LEVEL AND HOISTS AT 690 M LEVEL.
  • THE COPPER CONC IS SMELTED AT LUANSHYA OR MUFULIRA "AS REQUIRED".

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    ANDREWS, R.W., 1962, COBALT: OVERSEAS GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS, MINERAL RESOURCES DIVISION, LONDON, HER MAJESTY'S STATIONARY OFFICE, P. 66-. [copied from W006891, merged/deleted record 10099668]

  • Production

    TER BRUGGEN, J. W. INTRODUCTION INTO MINING AND METALLURGY ON THE ZAMBIAN COPPERBELT. GEOLOGIE EN MIJNBOUW, V.51, 1972. P361-370.

  • Deposit

    DE KUN, N. THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF AFRICA. ELSEVIER AMSTERDAM, 1965, P130-136,350-356,365-369.

  • Deposit

    Reeve, W.H., 1962, The geology and mineral resources of northern Rhodesia: Northern Rhodesia Geological Survey Bulletin No. 3, v. 1, p. 51-84, and v. 2, map IV, #9, and map V.

  • Deposit

    Freeman, P.V., 1988, Description of mineral deposits on the Copperbelt (and Kabwe, Nampundwe), unpublished report, p. 17, 25.

  • Reserve-Resource

    ROAN CONSOLIDATED MINES LTD. ANNUAL REPORTS 1976.

  • Deposit

    Kirkham, R.V, Carriere, J.J., Laramee, R.M., and Garson, D.F., 1994, Global distribution of sediment-hosted stratiform copper deposits and occurrences: Geological Survey of Canada Open File 2915b, 256 p.

  • Reserve-Resource

    ZAMBIA CONSOLIDATED COPPER MINES LTD., 1992 ANN RPT, P.51, 53.

  • Deposit

    ENG. MINING JOUR., 1973, 1972 E/MJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING OPERATIONS: NEW YORK, MCGRAW-HILL, INC., P. 219. [copied from W006891, merged/deleted record 10099668]

  • Deposit

    Selley and others, 2005, A new look at the geology of the Zambian Copperbelt: Economic Geology 100th Anniversary Volume, p. 965-1000.

  • Deposit

    GARLICK, W. G. GEOLOGY OF THE CHIBULUMA MINE. INTERL GEOL. CONGRESS PT.1 STRATIFORM COPPER DEPOSITS IN AFRICA, 1962, P137-149.

  • Deposit

    MCMAHON, A.D., 1965, COPPER, A MATERIALS SURVEY: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, IC 8225, P. 71. [copied from W006891, merged/deleted record 10099668]

  • Deposit

    PELLETIER, R. A. MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH-CENTERAL AFRICA. OXFORD UNIV. PRESS, CAPE TOWN, 1964, P. 178-198.

  • Deposit

    MENDELSOHN, F. (ED.). THE GEOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN RHODESIAN COPPERBELT. MACDONALD AND CO., LONDON,1961, 523 PP.

  • Deposit

    WHYTE, R.J., GREEN, M.E. GEOLOGY AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF CHIBULUMA WEST OREBODY ZAMBIAN COPPERBELT. ECON. GEOLOGY, V.66, 1970 P400-424.

  • Deposit

    Metorex Limited website, [www.metorexgroup.com/ops_chibuluma_Mines.htm (this version 2009 is slightly revised from the 2008 downloaded version)] [X:/Zambia/References/ByRefNo/1514_Chibuluma Mines Plc_Metorex_Copper.mht , 2008 version no longer available on Metorexgroup.com website as of 5/27/10]

  • Deposit

    Metorex Annual Report, p. 60. (supplementary information)

  • Deposit

    Metorex Annual Reports 2007. [http://www.metorex.co.za/downloads/annual_reports/metorex_ann_report2007.pdf]

  • Deposit

    WINFIELD, O., ROBINSON, I. C. THE STRUCTURES OF CHIBULUMA MINE. INTERNAL GEOL. CONGRESS PT 2. STRATIFORM COPPER DEPOSITS IN AFRICA, 1963, P.192-201.

  • Deposit

    SKINNER, WALTER R., 1973, MINING INTERNATIONAL YEARBOOK, LONDON, THE FINANCIAL TIMES LIMITED, P. 500. [copied from W006891, merged/deleted record 10099668]

  • Deposit

    BOSTOCK,M. AND HARVEY,C. ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE AND ZAMBIAN COPPER: A CASE STUDY OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT. PP. 23-273.

  • Deposit

    "CHIBULUMA ROUNDS OUT CAPITAL PROGRAM." ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, NOVEMBER 1979. PP. 167-171.

  • Deposit

    DEVLETTER, D.R., DIJKSTRA, S., AND TERBRUGGEN, J.W. GEOLOGIE EN MIJNBOUW. "ZAMBIA ISSUE." VOL. 51, NO. 3. MAY/JUNE 1972. PP. 247-468.

  • Deposit

    Fleischer, V.D., Garlick, W.D., and Haldane, R., 1976, Geology of the Zambian Copperbelt, in Wolf, K.H., ed., Handbook of Strata-bound and Stratiform Ore Deposits, v. 6, Chapter 6, p. 223-352.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL. "INDUSTRY IN ACTION." JUNE 21, 1974, P.505

  • Deposit

    ROAN CONSOLIDATED MINES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 1979.

  • Deposit

    ROAN CONSOLIDATED MINES LIMITED. "THE CHIBULUMA CONCENTRA-TOR." 1971.

  • Deposit

    ACP Mining Data Bank [Secretariat of the African and Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Group], undated, http://mines.acp.int/html/mine_ZMB-00114_en.html and http://mines.acp.int/html/mine_ZMB-00481_en.html

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE CHIBULUMA WEST UG MINE IS INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT AS DATA DOES NOT EXIST TO SEPARATE IT EARLIER. DIMENSIONS GIVEN ARE FOR MAIN OREBODY. NO INFORMATION ON WEST OREBODY DIMENSIONS.
General MINE HELD BY MUFULIRA COPPER MINES LTD, (AS OF 1962), NOW DUE TO CHANGE OF NAME, ROAN CONSOLIDATED MINES LTD. OPERATIONS INCLUDE MINE AND CONCENTRATOR. CONCENTRATOR FEED CAPACITY 54,974 M.T.P.M. OR 660,000 M.T.P.Y. COORDINATES ARE APPROXIMATE. [Comment copied from Deleted record 10099668, W006891]

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUN-75 Shaffer, Glenn L. U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 10-MAR-97 Porter, Kenneth E. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Editor 22-JUL-09 Wilson, Anna B. U.S. Geological Survey revised 6/1/10

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site