Location and Access
Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The mine is 55kms from the town - Belo Horizonte. With it being surrounded by existing operations, logistics and close to port.
Description
The total estimated reserve is 250-300 MT . The area is under exploration. As reputed JORQ Resource of 230.6 MT but the ROM (Run of Mines) quality is 44.52 Fe content which is low in quality but by means of different stages of beneficiation it can reach up to more than 60% Fe content with an recovery of 33%.
In view of this the only 33% material will be used for making sinter & pellets. Logistics are well connected as the reported quantity is high in quantity although the quality is low it can be considered in view of making sinter & pellets for used steelmaking 100% as the Iron Ore is hematite & this is operational mines producing presently 1.5km Million Tonnes/Annum.
Production. Ramping up to 3M MT over the next year with plans and schedules to take production up to 8M MT per year.
2.Exploration details like, No. of boreholes drilled, JORC resources category.
The Ponto Verde mineralisation is continuous over more than 2 kilometres from the southern boundary of the Project. The Cauê Formation strikes roughly northeast and is about 100 metres thick. The Gandarela Formation overlies the Cauê Formation to the northwest.
230Mt JORC - Another 230-350MT of resources being targeted - Notices pending and made available upon official Expression of Interest with indicative offer.
3.Mine is operational since when.
On 24 March 2010, the Company announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire the mineral rights and property at Ponto Verde, located in the heart of the Iron Ore Quadrilateral, 55 kilometres from the town of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais State, Southern Brazil (Project) via acquisition of the Project’s holding company, SAFM Mineracao Limitada (SAFM Brazil).
In production since 2011.
4.Logistics : Distance from mines to washing plant to Rail siding to port and tentative cost involved for transportation of material to port.
Project infrastructure
SAFM Brazil owns the existing refurbished plant and machinery at the Project. The Company intends to undertake a feasibility study to evaluate the upgrading of infrastructure and mining operations to increase production rates. The Company anticipates that production will commence from known near-surface sources and continuation of past mining areas. Current installed equipment includes a belt feeder, primary jaw crusher, secondary jaw crushers (two operating parallel and one on standby), two double deck screens and belt conveyors. SAFM Brazil has replaced the entire electrical cabling, some electrical motors, the belt conveyors' accessories and created new electrical and control rooms. The remaining plant infrastructure is also in good condition and is ready to commence operations. An upgrade to wet operation is necessary to allow increased yield and higher ore grades to 65% Fe. The Project is well served by unpaved roads in good condition and is located close to highways. Regional mains power supply is to be connected and water supply developed from ground water sources within the project area.
* $30mt Transportation cost. Agreement with Vale is in place for rail and port windows, due to Vale requiring legal access through the mine to reach their mountain of Iron Ore reserves of 1B MT.
5.Accommodation / availability of rail to port or quantity allowed per annum.
* Isued with other due diligence data, upon receipt of EOI as indicated.