The Northern Miner has compiled a list of the five highest grade zinc projects around the world using the IntelligenceMine database of our sister company Infomine. The list excludes inactive projects.
1. Berg Aukus, Namibia
Berg Aukus, 15 km northeast of Grootfontein in Namibia, tops the list of the world’s five highest grade zinc projects. Based on the project’s proven and probable reserves, the lead-vanadium-zinc deposit contains an average grade of 11.16% zinc. Berg Aukus is considered to be a Mississippi Valley type deposit and is reportedly 100% owned by China Africa Resources Plc.
The zinc-lead-vanadium deposit was discovered in 1913 and mined until 1978. Between 1967 and 1978, over 2.3 million tons of ore was extracted at grades of 15% zinc, 3.9% lead and 0.85% vanadium pentoxide. According to historic records at the time the mine was closed, the deposit held a reserve of 1.65 million tonnes grading 17% zinc, 5% lead and 0.6% vanadium pentoxide.
2. Hellyer–Fossey, Australia
The Hellyer-Fossey deposit is a veins and volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposit, 24 km north-northwest of Cradle Mountain and 80 km south of Burnie in North West Tasmania. As of 2011, the average zinc grade of the project’s proven and probable reserves was 10.98%, and it was reportedly 100% owned by Bass Metals (ASX: BSM).
The development of the Hellyer resource started with exploratory mining in 1983, followed by small scale production in 1987 (John Miedecke and Partners, 1988). The Hellyer Mine was operated by Aberfoyle Resources, and later Western Metals from 1989 until mine closure in June 2000. Western Metals sealed the mine adit to flood the underground workings, and placed infrastructure on care and maintenance as part of the closeout strategy.
The Hellyer deposit was a single high-grade polymetallic orebody with a pre-mining resource of 17 million tonnes grading 14% zinc, 7% lead, 0.4% copper, 5 oz. per tonne silver and 2.5 grams gold per tonne. As of October 2009, Hellyer’s remnant resource reportedly stood at 748,000 tonnes grading 7% zinc, 4.1% lead, 0.3% copper, 87 grams silver and 1.3 grams gold. The Fossey zone is a large, barite-rich zone developed to the south of the Hellyer ore body and former underground mine.
3. Estrades, Canada
Estrades is a volcanic hosted massive sulfide deposit, 43 km west-northwest of Joutel in the Abitibi region of Quebec. The former producing high-grade Estrades mine, now reportedly 100%-owned by Galway Metals (TSXV: GWM), has an average zinc grade of 9.78% based on the company’s proven and probable reserves.
On Aug. 18, 2016, Galway updated the resource estimate for Estrades, 95 km north of the town of La Sarre in western Quebec. The project currently has indicated resource of 1.3 million tonnes grading 8.0% zinc, 3.9 grams gold per tonne, 1.1% copper, 137.9 grams silver per tonne and 0.65% lead. Inferred resources add 1.22 million tonnes grading 4.3% zinc, 1.5 grams gold per tonne, 1.5% copper, 68.6 grams silver per tonne and 0.26% lead.
According to Galway, Breakwater Resources spent $20 million in 1990 developing Estrades, including the installation of a 200-metre deep by 150-metre along strike decline, a ventilation raise and associated infrastructure. Production in 1990-91 totalled 174,946 tonnes grading 12.9% zinc, 6.4 grams gold per tonne, 1.1% copper and 172.3 grams silver per tonne. Breakwater closed the mine amid weak metal prices and excessive contract mining and processing costs. In order to consolidate the Estrades, Newiska and Casa Berardi claim blocks, Galway completed deals with Mistango River Resources Inc., CR Capital Corp., First Quantum Minerals., Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. and a private company. Galway also staked additional claims.
4. Caber/CaberNorth, Canada
The Caber and Caber North deposits, 35 km west of Matagami in Quebec, are volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits. The average zinc grade reported in proven and probable reserves is 9.06%. The Caber and Caber North deposits were previously owned by Breakwater Resources, which was acquired by Belgium-based Nrystar, a zinc-smelting company, in a friendly, $663 million all-cash takeover in August 2011.
According to a prefeasibilty study released in July 2007, the Caber deposit had indicated resources of 494,000 tonnes grading 10.9% zinc, 1.1% copper, 11 grams silver per tonne and 0.15 gram gold per tonne. Inferred resources stood at 171,000 tonnes grading 8.4% zinc, 1.3% copper, 11 grams silver per tonne and 0.17 gram gold.
The prefeasibility study put inferred resources at the Caber North deposit at 2.61 million tonnes grading 4.26% zinc, 1.59% copper and 21.06 grams silver per tonne.
5. Obruchevskoye, Kazakhstan
Obruchevskoye is a veins and volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposit, 7 km southeast of Ridder, a city in northeastern Kazakhstan. The project’s average zinc grade in the proven and probable reserve category was last reported at 7.03%. As of Dec. 31, 2015, Obruchevskoye’s measured and indicated resource measures 4.1 million tonnes grading 10.5% zinc and its inferred resource stands at 2.9 million tonnes averaging 3% zinc.
Glencore (LSE: GLEN) owns 69.70% of the deposit and the government of Kazakhstan owns the remaining 30.30%.
[url=http://peketec.de/trading/viewtopic.php?p=1737918#1737918 schrieb:
600 schrieb am 30.01.2017, 20:23 Uhr[/url]"]
[url=http://peketec.de/trading/viewtopic.php?p=1737913#1737913 schrieb:
Rooky schrieb am 30.01.2017, 20:05 Uhr[/url]"]TNM exclusive: The five highest grade zinc projects in the world
http://www.northernminer.com/news/tnm-exclusive-canada-home-two-highest-grade-zinc-projects/1003782824/
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