Metates Sulphide Heap Leach Project — 2021 Technical Report
| Company | Chesapeake |
| Date | 2021 |
| Region | Rio San Juan de Camarones |
| Commodities | Gold, Silver |
Executive Summary
The Metates Sulphide Heap Leach Project – Phase 1 is a planned mining operation with a nominal capacity of 15,000 tonnes per day (tpd) and an overall availability of 90%. The processing scheme involves a three-stage crushing circuit to reduce material to a P80 of 13 mm, followed by oxidation on a dedicated pad and subsequent cyanide heap leaching. The project utilizes an open pit mining method targeting sulphide ore.
The crushing plant consists of a primary jaw crusher, a secondary standard cone crusher, and a tertiary short-head cone crusher. Following crushing, the material undergoes oxidation on an on-off pad for 90 to 180 days using air injection and alkaline solution irrigation to neutralize sulphur. The oxidized material is then conveyed to a dedicated heap leach pad for cyanide leaching, with a primary leach duration of up to 60 days.
Gold and silver recovery is achieved through a Merrill-Crowe zinc cementation plant designed to process 680 cubic meters per hour of pregnant solution. The precipitates are dried, smelted in a natural gas-fired furnace, and cast into doré bars for shipment. The process relies on reagents including lime, soda ash, and sodium cyanide, with a total connected power load of 11,691 kW.
Reports
Website: https://chesapeakegold.com/metates/
Report Date: 2021
Region: Rio San Juan de Camarones
Project Status:
Commodity: Gold, Silver
Throughput:
Mine Life:
Mine Type:
Ore type:
