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Araxa Mine Columbium

Plant in Minas Gerais, Brazil with commodity Niobium (Columbium)
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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. Land status
  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 10254931
MAS/MILS ID 3510230151
Record type Site
Current site name Araxa Mine Columbium
Alternate or previous names Araxa, Barreio

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -46.83231, -19.58082 (WGS84)
Elevation 850
Location accuracy 500(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Minas Gerais(province)

Brazil(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Brazil Minas Gerais

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Niobium (Columbium) Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Barite Unknown
Ilmenite Unknown
Limonite Unknown
Magnetite Unknown
Monazite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -46.83231, -19.58082
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 150M
    Length 1800M
    Width 1800M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 LATERITE
    Shape of Orebody #1 PIPELIKE
    Type of Orebody #2 SHEAR ZONE
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Secondary mode of Origin OTHER
    Primary Ore Control OTHER
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Minimum Depth to Top .5
    Date of Last Modification 910614

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE ARAXA CARBONATITE COMPLEX IS APPROXIMATELY CIRCULAR AND ABOUT 4.5 KM IN DIAMETER AT THE SURFACE. THE HIGHEST COLUMBIUM CONCENTRATION IS LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE STRUCTURE, AND IS CIRCULAR IN SHAPE, AND HAS A DIAMETER OF 1800 METERS. THE COLUMBIUM MINERALIZATION IS A RESULT OF DEEP WEATHERING AND INTENCE RESIDUAL ENRICHMENT FROM THE ORIGINAL CARBONATITE. IN THE CENTRAL COLUMBIUM MINERALIZATION ZONE WEATHERING REACHED TO AN AVERAGE DEPTH OF 150 METERS. THE ORE IS CAPED BY A LAYER OF OVERBURDEN RANGING IN THICKNESS FROM 0.5 TO 40 METERS.
  • THE MINERAL PANDAITE IS A MAJOR CONSTITUENT OF THE PYROCHLORE ORE.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1954
Mining method Open Pit
Year of first production 1961
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Flotation
Milling method Flotation

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Companhia Brasileira Of Metalurgia E Mineracao (Cbmm)
    Interest 100
    Home office Brazil
    Year 1982
  • Type Owner
    Owner Companhia Metrolpolitana De Comercio E Participacoes
    Interest 55
    Home office Brazil
    Year 1989
  • Type Owner
    Owner Molycorp Inc.
    Interest 45
    Home office Invalid State
    Year 1989

Comments on the ownership information

  • OWNERSHIP RECORDS 02 AND 03 ARE THE OWNERS OF CBMM. COMPLETE COMPANY NAME IS "CIA. BRASILEIRA DE METALURGIA E MINERACAO". THE ARAXA CB SMELTER IS LOCATED ON SITE.

Production statistics

  • Year 1967
    Description Pyrochlore Ore Production 109900 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 10990mt
  • Year 1970
    Description Pyrochlore Ore Production 343100 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 343100mt
  • Year 1973
    Description Pyrochlore Ore Production 539100 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 539100mt
  • Year 1976
    Description Pyrcohlore Ore Production 500600 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 500600mt
  • Year 1979
    Description Pyrochlore Ore Production 853400 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 853400mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Pyrochlore Ore Production 820000 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Niobium (Columbium) Niobium (Columbium) 820000mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1982
    Measured 131612000mt ore
    Indicated 41793000mt ore
    Demonstrated 173405000mt ore
    Inferred 288349000mt ore
    Total resources 461754000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Niobium (Columbium) Cb2O5 2.5 wt-pct Niobium (Columbium) Major 1982
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1982
    Measured 35100000mt ore
    Demonstrated 35100000mt ore
    Total resources 35100000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Niobium (Columbium) Cb2O5 3.54 wt-pct Niobium (Columbium) Major 1982
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1982
    Measured 65000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 65000000mt ore
    Total resources 65000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Niobium (Columbium) Cb2O5 3.15 wt-pct Niobium (Columbium) Major 1982
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1982
    Measured 98300000mt ore
    Demonstrated 98300000mt ore
    Total resources 98300000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Niobium (Columbium) Cb2O5 2.88 wt-pct Niobium (Columbium) Major 1982
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1982
    Measured 131700000mt ore
    Demonstrated 131700000mt ore
    Total resources 131700000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Niobium (Columbium) Cb2O5 2.5 wt-pct Niobium (Columbium) Major 1982

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ESTIMATED INSITU RESOURCES USED IN THE 1983 PROPERTY EVALUATION. ONLY THE WEATHERED LATERITIC MATERIAL IS INCLUDED IN THE ORE ESTIMATE. RESERVE ARE THE RECOVERABLE TONNAGE USED ON THE ETD.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor 0
    Percent Waste Rock 0
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 5
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore SAND, GRAVEL
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 15
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 9796
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 100000
    Operating Days per Year 350
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1982

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    DE SOUZA PAPAISO O., DE FUCCIO R., "ARAXA NIOBIUM MINE",

  • Reserve-Resource

    MINING MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY, 1982.

  • Deposit

    DE SOUZA PARAISO O., DE FUCCIO R., "FERRO COLUMBIUM

  • Deposit

    PRODUCTION AT CBMM", IRON AND STEEL MAKERS, MAT, 1980.

  • Deposit

    HEINRICH E. W., "THE GEOLOGY OFCARBONATITES", RAND MACNALLY

  • Deposit

    AND COMPANY, 1966.

  • Deposit

    HOLT, INC., 1983.

  • Deposit

    MARTINO, O. "MINERAL INDUSTRY OF BRAZIL", MINERAL YEAR BOOK,

  • Deposit

    1980, PP178 TO 1979.

  • Deposit

    MCGRAW HILL, "INTERNATIONAL MINERALS/METALS REVIEN", BRAZIL,

  • Deposit

    P25.

  • Deposit

    ROSKILL INFORMATION SERVICES, "THE ECONOMICS OF NIOBIUM",

  • Deposit

    FOURTH EDITION, 1983.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE ARAXA CB (NB) SMELTER IS LISTED UNDER THE SEQ# 3510231151.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 06-JAN-95 Buckingham, David A. 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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