Tag Archives: Brazil

Equinox Aurizona gold mine ramp up continues

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Equinox Gold says it has achieved commercial production at the Aurizona gold mine, in Brazil.

The milestone, which occurred on July 1, follows the processing plant, in the month of June, operating at an average throughput of around 90% of nameplate capacity (8,200 t/d), exceeded 90% average recovery and producing more than 7,000 oz of gold. It also follows the first gold pour in May.

Gold production is expected to continue to increase through the September and December quarters of 2019, with average life-of-mine production estimated at 136,000 oz/y.

Christian Milau, Equinox Gold’s CEO, said: “Achieving commercial production at Aurizona is a significant milestone, making Equinox Gold a multi-mine producer and bringing us one step closer to our near-term target of having three mines in production in 2020.”

With commercial production at Aurizona achieved, the final condition pursuant to the previously announced corporate revolving credit facility has been completed and the remaining $30 million of the total $130 million has been made available to the company.

The mining contractor at the Aurizona operation is U&M Mineração e Construção S/A (U&M) and the EPCM contractor is Ausenco Engineering Canada.

Modular Mining wins DISPATCH and ProVision order from Anglo American at Barro Alto

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Modular Mining says it will implement its DISPATCH® Fleet Management and ProVision® Machine Guidance systems at Anglo American’s Barro Alto open-pit nickel mine, in Goiás, Brazil.

Anglo selected the DISPATCH and ProVision solutions to improve material blending, ore management and crusher throughput, the company said, adding that the solutions will reduce the ore dilution, boost blending of the ore directly from the pit into the crusher and optimise the fleet performance.

The DISPATCH Fleet Management System (FMS), chosen to replace the mine’s current competitive FMS at Barro Alto, will optimise the haulage fleet to increase productivity, Modular said. “The ProVision system will deliver high-precision navigation and machine guidance capabilities to the mine’s shovels; automating the management of material types, reducing the need for manual staking, and reducing the number of stockpiles. In addition, the ProVision system will provide real-time tonnage, volume, and grade metrics for any ore-bearing stockpile. Modular Mining’s Material Blending, Prestart, and Fuel Management modules, will extend the FMS’ equipment- and material management capabilities,” the company said.

Eduardo Caixeta, Manager, Barro Alto, said: “A number of factors contributed to our decision to partner with Modular Mining. In addition to their solid reputation with their fleet management and high-precision guidance technologies, the success that we have had with their solutions at our sister operation, at Minas Rio, played a key role in our decision. Another factor was Modular’s demonstrated commitment to performance, working with their customers to maximise the value from their solutions based on a mine’s specific goals.”

Airton de Sena, General Manager, Modular Mining, Brazil, said: “Modular has a long-standing relationship with Anglo in Brazil and we are excited to expand this relationship. Barro Alto is a leader in nickel mining, and this investment demonstrates their team’s commitment to maximizing returns through operational excellence and advanced technologies.”

Equinox Gold hits first pour milestone at Aurizona

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Equinox Gold says it has poured first gold at its Aurizona gold mine, in Brazil.

Christian Milau, CEO of Equinox Gold, said: “Pouring first gold at Aurizona is a significant milestone for the company and the result of the hard work and dedication of the Equinox Gold team and our contractors.

“That we accomplished this milestone with no lost-time injuries is another important achievement for the Aurizona team.”

The company has also received its License to Operate, the final operating permit for Aurizona, from the Maranhão State Environmental Agency (SEMA).

Aurizona is expected to become a low-cost open-pit gold mine, with average annual production estimated at 136,000 oz/y, according to Equinox Gold.

Equinox, late last year, reported that the new primary jaw crusher at Aurizona had been energised and dry tested with the expectation of putting first ore through the system in early-January.

The mining contractor at the operation is U&M Mineração e Construção S/A (U&M) and the EPCM contractor is Ausenco Engineering Canada.

Belzona reinforces crusher foundations at Brazil copper mine

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Belzona has used its own concrete repair and rebuild composite to keep a primary crusher operational at a copper mine in Brazil.

A common cause of wear in the mining industry can be vibration. This can cause eventual fatigue, resulting in cracks and a loss of material in operational equipment. It can also lead to premature failures in areas such as concrete foundations and their anchoring systems.

“Generally speaking, concrete can be considered too brittle and weak to absorb such constant impact and vibration transferred from the equipment,” Belzona said. “Once the concrete has failed, anchor bolts in the foundations can loosen, further aggravating the effects of the vibration on the foundation.”

A copper mine in Marabá, Brazil, found this to be the case with its primary crusher, according to the company, with the base of the primary crusher needing to be rebuilt due to weakening caused by vibration. The 3,000 t/h primary crusher weighs 336 t, is 9.5 m high and 5.6 m wide, contributing further to the amount of stress being put on the foundations, Belzona said.

“Being one of the biggest copper crushers in South America, and with copper being traded at around $6,000/t, every hour of shutdown can result in a loss of almost $20 million,” the company said.

A solution was required that could rebuild the foundation and bases of the primary crusher, while being able to withstand high dynamic and impact loads without shattering and breaking, according to Belzona. “Excellent mechanical properties and a fast curing time were also critical in ensuring the primary crusher would return back to service in as little time as possible.”

The solution used was Belzona 4111 (Magma Quartz), a high-performance concrete repair and rebuild composite.

Using an impact hammer drill, the first two layers of concrete were removed to reach the steel reinforcement structure.

“Particularly with concrete repairs, surface preparation is critical in its success,” Belzona said. ”The substrate needs to be free from contamination, free from excess moisture and any loose material needs to be removed.”

The area was cleaned and degreased with solvent and compressed air was used to remove the entire repair area of loose debris and dust. A conditioner was then applied to ensure an optimum bond between the substrate and repair materials.

The perimeter of the repair area was initially built up, later acting as a mould for a slurry mix of Belzona 4111. The material was able to level evenly to recreate a foundation at the base of the primary crusher, according to Belzona.

“The implemented solution offered resistance to high vibrations and dynamic loads due to its high mechanical strength. The system adhered to both metal and old concrete allowing for a homogeneous load distribution, without weak spots during the anchoring/grouting procedure and service,” the company said.

The assembly of the machine to the structure commenced in as little as four to six hours after application, according to Belzona, with a full return to service possible in some 16 hours.

“The fast turnaround time allowed the copper mine to continue its processes without a majorly disruptive or costly downtime,” the company concluded.

Specialising in erosion, corrosion and chemical protection, Belzona calls itself a world leader in the design and manufacture of repair composite materials and protective coatings for machinery, equipment, buildings and structures.

Vale plans significant investment in dry processing technologies, Reuters says

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Vale reportedly plans to invest $2.5 billion on, predominantly, dry processing technology as it looks to draw a line under the recent tailings dam failures that have occurred at its Brazil operations.

Reuters, citing emailed responses from Vale’s Director of Ferrous Planning and Development, Fabiano Carvalho Filho, said the Brazil-based miner would spend the amount over the next five years, with the funds mainly used to convert Vale’s Carajas iron ore mining operations in the northern portion of the country to 100% dry tailings facilities.

The news came on the same day the company released its March quarter financial results, which saw the miner report a $1.6 billion loss on the back of the recent Brumadinho dam rupture.

The company is looking to increase its dry processing operations to 70% of its overall iron ore output by the end of 2023, from 60% currently, according to the Reuters report.

Of the 17 processing lines of Plant 1 at Carajas, 11 are already using dry technologies and the remaining six wet lines will be converted by 2022, Carvalho Filho reportedly said.

In addition, the investments will also go towards two projects in Minas Gerais – one for a new iron ore processing complex, with the other focused on restarting a previously operational mine – the news agency said.

The dry processing spend is part of an existing program under which Vale has invested almost $17.5 billion over the last decade, Carvalho Filho told Reuters, adding that the investments were not directly tied to the recent tailings dam spills at the Brumadinho and Mariana dams.

Metso expands Latin America offering with HighService Service

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Metso has completed its acquisition of HighService Service, the service division of the Chilean mining engineering, construction and technology company HighService Corp, adding around 1,000 employees to its expanding Latin America operations.

The acquisition was announced in January and was approved by the Chilean competition authority in March.

Mikko Keto, President of Metso’s Minerals Services and Pumps business areas, said: “This acquisition expands our service offering in the Chilean and Pacific Rim mining markets and supports Metso’s growth strategy. It brings us more service experts to support our customers in the region and we are happy to welcome our new colleagues to Metso.”

Just a few weeks ago, Metso was awarded a contract to supply crushing and material handling equipment for the first stage of Codelco’s El Teniente copper mine expansion project in central Chile.

HighService Service offers its customers a variety of services from maintenance to commissioning and remote monitoring. Its circa-1,000 employees are in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Its sales in the fiscal year 2017 were €60 million ($66.2 million).

South Star’s filtered tailings plan for Santa Cruz graphite project stacks up

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South Star Mining Corp’s aim of using a filter press and eliminating the requirement for a tailings storage facility at its Santa Cruz graphite project in Bahia, Brazil, has been given a boost following positive bench scale test results.

The Toronto-listed company said it had received positive results for the laboratory bench scale filtered tailings tests performed on two simulated tailings samples from Santa Cruz. Two tailings samples (+325 mesh and -325 mesh) were generated and tested in laboratory facilities in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, it said.

Five scenarios were completed for the leaf filter tests with various solids densities, feed rates, vacuum pressures, and cake thickness:

  • -325 mesh sample at 10% solids;
  • -325 mesh sample at 10% solids at higher feed rate and vacuum pressures;
  • -325 mesh sample at 20% solids;
  • -325 mesh sample at 20% solids with minimized cake thickness, and;
  • +325 mesh sample at 10% solids.

The tests resulted in cake with humidity varying between 23% to 35% and cycle times ranging from 19:23 to 49:47 minutes, according to the company. Based on the bench scale leaf tests, additional pilot tests are being performed to better quantify the range of possible solutions and also test a mixture of the +325 and -325 mesh materials to create a third sample type, the company said, adding that results of the pilot tests were expected shortly.

South Star said the goal of the testing programme was to examine the potential for altering the proposed flow sheet from the process circuit presented in the preliminary economic assessment (PEA) to include a filter press and eliminate the requirement for a tailings storage facility.

“By incorporating filtered tailings technology, the majority of the water from the tailings would be removed and recirculated and allow the dried tails to be placed together with waste rock in a co-disposal waste facility,” the company said.

South Star CEO, Eric Allison, said: “We are very pleased with these initial results from our filtered tailings test programme and their positive implications for utilising dry stack tailings at Santa Cruz for both our trial mining plant and the final full-scale facility. Co-disposal of the waste should not only reduce the project’s environmental impact, risk profile and physical footprint, but should streamline our permitting and licensing processes as well.”

The company plans to incorporate the results of the programme into the prefeasibility report scheduled for completion in the September quarter, it said.

The mid-2017 PEA on Santa Cruz outlined an indicated resource of 14.99 Mt at 2.70% Cg with 404,741 t Cg, and inferred resources of 3.57 Mt at 2.90% Cg with 103,591 t Cg. Graphite deposition at Santa Cruz is found at surface within oxidised material providing a very favourable strip ratio, and requiring no crushing or blasting, according to the company.

The PEA stated Santa Cruz has a post-tax internal rate of return of 78% and a payback period of two years. Mine planning for the existing graphite deposit outlined a 12 Mt mineable resource with a diluted grade of 2.63% Cg providing support for a 19-year open-pit mine. Life of mine average yearly production came in at 15,800 t alongside operating costs of $413/t.

Anglo readying predictive maintenance solutions following Barro Alto implementation

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Anglo American has highlighted its predictive maintenance efforts on equipment at its Barro Alto nickel mine in Brazil in its recently-published annual report.

The company said it is developing predictive models so it can make better informed operational decisions. These models, built by data scientists and often powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, contain advanced algorithms that leverage the power of data to generate predictions, according to the company.

“At the operational level, we are using customised learning algorithms across a range of different applications,” Anglo said. “In one such instance, we monitor equipment health at a number of our operating sites, with the aim of improving operational performance through predictive maintenance.”

The company said at Barro Alto, which has two rotary kilns and two electric furnaces that smelt nickel ore, it is focusing its predictive maintenance efforts on key pieces of high-power equipment.

Anglo said: “By building a comprehensive data platform that monitors 38 major elements of the Barro Alto operation, we are increasing our knowledge of the performance of the equipment and we are using data to accurately forecast failures before they happen.”

Soon, the company will be able to “dynamically manage” maintenance intervals – only replacing parts when required – Anglo said. This ensures greater operational uptime and product throughput, according to the company. “The implementation is expected to improve furnace reliability, as well as realise cost savings for the nickel business,” Anglo said.

The learnings from Barro Alto are also being applied to fixed-plant assets in other operations, Anglo said. “This nascent project is on track to deliver considerable value from just one data analytics application.”

On the technology in general, Anglo said: “Data analytics augments the intelligence in our people by helping them make better, confident data-driven decisions. Remote monitoring of assets takes people away from physical equipment and helps avoid high-energy failures, which leads to a safer working environment. Reducing unplanned equipment failures can also bring significant environmental benefits owing to the reduced likelihood of spillages.”

Anglo plans to extend the reach of its data analytics platforms to all aspects of its value chain and extend operational decision support to the mining and processing phases of its assets, it said.

New court order could lead to shutdown of Vale’s Brucutu iron ore mine

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Vale says it has been made aware of a decision by the 22nd Civil Court of the Comarca of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, ordering the iron ore miner to stop using its Laranjeiras, Menezes II, Capitão do Mato, Dique B, Taquaras, Forquilha I, Forquilha II and Forquilha III dams.

The decision, which is within the scope of the public civil action no 5013909-51.2019.8.13.0024 filed by the Public Prosecution Office of the State of Minas Gerais, could see the company have to close the Brucutu mine (pictured) in its Minas Centrais complex, cutting some 30 Mt/y of iron ore supply.

The Brucutu unit is the largest iron mine of Minas Gerais in production, and the second largest in the country, only behind Carajás, in Pará, according to the company.

Among the dams included in the court order, three were built by the upstream method – Forquilha I, Forquilha II and Forquilha III – and were already inactive and covered by the accelerated decommissioning plan Vale previously announced to the market. The other structures, including the Laranjeiras dam at Brucutu, were built by the conventional method.

“These structures built by the conventional method have the sole purpose of sediment containment and not tailings disposal except in the case of the Laranjeiras dam,” Vale said. “All dams are duly licensed and have their respective stability reports in force. Vale therefore understands that there is no technical basis nor risk assessment to justify a decision to suspend the operation of any of these dams.”

Vale said it will adopt the “appropriate legal measures” in relation to this decision and reiterated that all the emergency measures necessary to assist the impacted people and to mitigate the impacts resulting from the breach of Dam I of the Córrego de Feijão mine are being duly adopted.

Vale currently has a fleet of Caterpillar 240 ton (218 t) 793F CMD fully autonomous trucks running at the Brucutu iron ore mine.

 

Vale signs long-term renewable energy pact with Casa dos Ventos in Brazil

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Vale has signed a long-term energy supply contract with Casa dos Ventos as part of its plan to generate 100% of its electricity in Brazil by 2030 through renewable sources.

The agreement is related to energy produced from the Folha Larga Sul wind farm in Campo Formoso, Bahia. With an installed capacity of 151.2 MW, the project is expected begin commercial operation by the first half of 2020. Vale says its energy has been contracted for 23 years.

The pact also includes a future asset call option held by Vale.

“The partnership is yet another step into Vale’s strategy to achieve 100% self-generation of electricity in Brazil by 2030 through the use of renewable sources of energy,” the company said.