Building a Geometallurgical Model for Early-Stage Project Development – A Case Study from the Canahuire Epithermal Au-Cu-Ag Deposit, Southern Peru

摘要

The Canahuire deposit is a recently discovered Au-Cu-Ag epithermal deposit in Southern Peru.rnA geometallurgy program is a key study element of the project Feasibility study. Metallurgical,rnmineralogical, and comminution studies have been completed over a suite of samples, spatiallyrndistributed among the various geological/ore domains. The early stage of Canahuire presentsrnchallenges as there is a lack of metallurgical information to guide geometallurgical sampling,rnin contrast with an established deposit at a more advanced stage of development or mining.rnNevertheless, the available information will assist in the development of geometallurgical domainsrnfor Canahuire in order to ensure that future metallurgical, mineralogical, and comminution testrnwork is representative of the deposit variability. This supplementary knowledge will be able tornpredict important metallurgical parameters which will be incorporated into a geometallurgicalrnmodel to spatial predict material types, metallurgical recovery and through put. The informationrnobtained will be a valuable addition to the future mine plan, infl uencing process design,rnengineering design, plant operation, operating and capital costs, and ultimately will reduce projectrndevelopment risk.