Located in mineral-rich northern Chile, the Maricunga mine is a high altitude, cold weather heap leach operation.
The Maricunga open pit mine is located in the Maricunga
mining district in central-east Chile. The property is
approximately 120 kilometres east of Copiapó and is between 4,200
metres and 4,500 metres above sea level. Kinross acquired its
original 50% interest and became operator of the mine on June 1,
1998, through the Kinam merger. In February 2007, Kinross acquired
the remaining 50% through the acquisition of Bema Gold
Corporation.
Commercial production began on October 1, 1996. Five years
later, mining activities were suspended and the operation was
placed on care and maintenance due to low gold prices. In late
2002, a multi-phase exploration program commenced and in 2003 it
was determined that the mine would be recommissioned.
The mine went into commercial production in the fourth quarter of
2005 and achieved its average targeted production rate of 40,000
tonnes per day in November 2005.
The Maricunga mine is a three-stage crushing and heap leach
operation with a name plate capacity of 40,000 tonnes of ore per
day, or 11 million tonnes per year.
Facilities include a permanent camp with access to the site from
Copiapó provided by road. Power is supplied by the main power
grid.
As at December 31, 2012
|
|
Tonnes |
Grade |
Ounces |
|
Gold |
( X 1,000) |
(g/t) |
( X 1,000) |
|
Proven and Probable Reserves |
185,584 |
0.72 |
4,313 |
|
Measured and Indicated Resources(a) |
141,395 |
0.64 |
2,907 |
| Inferred Resources | 55,478 | 0.50 | 889 |
|
a) Measured and Indicated Resources exclude Proven and Probable Reserves |
|||