Project Overview
Location: Pará State, Brazil
Process Type: Heap Leach with ADR Plant
Annual Production: 720,000 tonnes (1,973 tpd)
Feed Grade: 0.81 g/t Au
Recovery Rate: 86.9% (average)
Final Product: 16,292 ounces gold per year
Project Stage: Pre-feasibility Study
Detailed Process Description
Primary Processing
The Cuiú Cuiú Project employs an innovative heap leach processing circuit utilizing an on/off pad design. The processing facility begins with primary crushing, followed by an agglomeration phase where cement is added at a rate of 10 to 15 kg per tonne of material. This agglomeration step is crucial as the ore, while predominantly fine, presents in large clumps that require proper binding for optimal leaching performance.
Heap Leach Configuration
The facility features four dedicated on/off heap leach pads, with operations designed to have two pads under active leaching while the other two undergo loading and unloading cycles. Each pad is limited to a single 5-meter-high lift to minimize compaction risks and maintain optimal solution flow. The leaching cycle extends for 60 days, followed by a 12-day rinsing and neutralization period, and an 18-day window for leached ore removal.
Recovery Process
Gold recovery utilizes a carbon-in-column (CIC) circuit consisting of six contactors arranged in cascade operation. The pregnant solution flows through the circuit at a nominal rate of 210 m³/h. The design solution-to-ore ratio is maintained at 2.4:1 to achieve target gold recovery rates. The process demonstrates varying recovery efficiencies across different ore types: MG Blanket (88.0%), MG saprolite (90.5%), Central Blanket (91.0%), and Central saprolite (72.5%).
Production Capacity
Over the project’s 5-year life, the facility is designed to process approximately 3.23 Mt of ore with an average grade of 0.81 g/t Au, yielding a total of 72.84 koz Au. The crushing circuit operates at a nominal rate of 720,000 tonnes per annum, equivalent to 1,973 tonnes per day, with the ROM processing design rate set at 2,367 tonnes per day, including a 20% design factor.
Environmental Controls
The facility incorporates comprehensive environmental controls, including solution management systems and proper containment measures. The process includes detailed protocols for cyanide management and solution recycling, ensuring environmental compliance while maintaining optimal gold recovery rates.
Technical report and processing history
The following archived source profiles have been consolidated here to preserve the project’s processing history and study context.
Cuiú Cuiú Gold Project — 2025 Technical Report
Cuiú Cuiú Gold Project — 2025 Technical Report
| Company | Not Specified |
| Date | 2025 |
| Region | Not Specified |
| Commodities | Gold |
Executive Summary
The Cuiú Cuiú Gold Project is currently in the Pre-Feasibility Study stage, focusing on a heap leaching recovery method for gold production. The process involves crushing ROM ore using a mineral sizer, agglomerating it with cement, and stacking it on on/off heap leach pads. Leaching is conducted using a dilute cyanide solution with a 60-day cycle, followed by rinsing and ore removal. Pregnant solution is processed through a Carbon-in-Column (CIC) circuit to recover gold, which is then eluted using a Pressure Zadra process and electrowon to produce doré bars.
The project has a projected mine life of 6.2 years with an estimated total ore production of 4.30 Mt at an average grade of 0.85 g/t Au. This yields a total of 117.62 koz Au, with an average annual production rate of 23,338 oz/a. The nominal plant capacity is 2,740 t/d, with a design ROM processing rate of 3,288 t/d. Average gold recovery is designed at 85.4%, varying by resource type from 72.5% to 91.0% depending on the deposit zone (MG Blanket, MG Saprolite, Central Blanket, Central Saprolite, Machichie).
Key operational parameters include a 5-meter lift height on the heap leach pads to minimize compaction, a solution-to-ore ratio of 2.4:1, and the use of specific reagents such as sodium cyanide, cement, and activated carbon. The facility includes dedicated areas for acid wash, carbon regeneration, and gold room smelting, with safety measures for cyanide and mercury abatement. The process design incorporates a 20% capacity factor and relies on well-established technology validated by metallurgical testwork.
Processing Profile
- Crushing: Mineral Sizer (Primary)
- Milling: N/A
- Flotation: N/A
- Leaching: Heap Leach (On/Off), Carbon-in-Column (CIC)
- Elution: Pressure Zadra
- Electrowinning: Yes
Website: https://cabralgold.com/cuiu-cuiu-project/
Report Date: 2025
Region: Not Specified
Project Status:
Commodity: Gold
Throughput:
Mine Life:
Mine Type:
Ore type:
Cuiú Cuiú Project — 2024 Technical Report
Cuiú Cuiú Project — 2024 Technical Report
| Date | 2024 |
| Commodities | Gold |
| Status | Pre-feasibility Study |
Executive Summary
The Cuiú Cuiú Project is a gold-focused mining operation currently in the Pre-feasibility Study stage, with a projected mine life of 5 years. The project is designed to produce an average of 16,292 ounces of gold per year, with a total estimated production of 72.84 koz Au over the life of the mine. The ore is characterized as saprolite material, processed through a heap leaching circuit with an on/off pad design to manage permeability and solution flow.
The processing plant features a nominal capacity of 1,973 tonnes per day, with a design ROM rate of 2,367 t/d. Primary crushing is achieved using a mineral sizer, followed by agglomeration with cement and barren solution to improve the geotechnical stability of the stacked ore. The heap leaching process utilizes a dilute cyanide solution applied via drip emitters, with a maximum lift height of 5 meters to prevent compaction.
Gold recovery is accomplished through a Carbon-in-Column (CIC) circuit, followed by elution using the Pressure Zadra process. The final product is produced via electrowinning and smelting in a diesel-fired furnace to create gold doré bars. The process design includes robust reagent management, water recycling, and cyanide detoxification systems to ensure environmental compliance and operational efficiency.
Key Commodities
- Gold
Processing Methods
- Heap Leaching
- Carbon-in-Column (CIC)
- Zadra Elution
- Agglomeration
Reports
Website: https://cabralgold.com/cuiu-cuiu-project/
Report Date: 2024
Region:
Project Status: Pre-feasibility Study
Commodity: Gold
Throughput:
Mine Life:
Mine Type:
Ore type:
