Name of the Mine
Capricorn Copper mine.

Location  
Capricorn Copper’s exploration tenements cover an area of 1 858 km² located within the highly prospective Mt Isa Inlier, in Australia.

Mine Owner/s  
29Metals.

Brief Description  
The Capricorn Copper mine is a high-grade copper and silver operation, located in a Tier 1 jurisdiction. It comprises the Esperanza South (ESS), Greenstone (GST), Pluto (PTO), Mammoth Deeps (MAM) and Esperanza subpit (ESP) resource areas.

Brief History  
Copper mineralisation was first discovered in the area of Capricorn Copper in the 1880s.

In 1969, Survey and Mining acquired the mining rights for the area now known as Capricorn Copper and started development of the first Capricorn Copper deposit – Mammoth.

Large-scale mining operations started in 1970.

Primary Metals/Minerals  
Copper concentrate.

Secondary Metals/Minerals  
Silver.

Geology/Mineralisation  
The local geology of the Capricorn area has been developed over many years of tenure.

All deposits modelled occur within broad structural corridors with the interplay of these major faults with more localised structures being a primary localising factor.

MAM and GST orebodies are hosted within Whitworth quartzite, whereas the ESP, PTO and ESS orebodies are hosted within McNamara Group siltstones.

ESS is hosted by carbonaceous and siliceous siltstone to shale breccia of the Esperanza Formation.

The GST orebody is located within a wedge of Whitworth quartzite constrained by the Mammoth Extended Fault.

PTO is hosted within strongly oxidised siltstones and breccia of the Paradise Creek Formation.

MAM mineralisation is hosted within breccia associated with the Mammoth Fault (dipping 80° to 85° towards the north-west) and the Portal Fault (dipping 60° to 65° towards the west), however multiple ore orientations exist due to the interplay between major and minor structures and stratigraphy.

ESP mineralisation is typically subvertical with a north-east strike.

Reserves  
Total proven and probable reserves as at December 31, 2022, were estimated at 16-million tonnes grading 1.7% copper and 12 g/t gold.

Resources  
Total measured, indicated and inferred resources as at December 31, 2022, were estimated at 62.2-million tonnes grading 1.8% copper and 9 g/t silver.

Mining Method  
Underground.

Major Infrastructure/Equipment  
Capricorn Copper mine includes road access; a processing plant, consisting of a crushing, milling and conventional sulphide flotation circuit;  portal and underground development at the MAM deposit and the ESP deposit; a paste backfill plant; a tailings storage facility; mine ventilation, electrical and dewatering systems; workshops and stores; a concentrate storage shed, a fuel farm and wash down bay; administration and other offices; power provided by a 220 kV high-voltage power line with power supplied from the grid; water licences and supply from Lake Waggaboonya and water treatment plant; an accommodation camp; sewerage, water and electricity utilities, as well as information and communication systems at the mine and in the camp; and a sealed, all-weather airstrip, located 8km south of Capricorn Copper mine.

Prospects  
Studies are under way to evaluate recovery of the high-grade cobalt resources.

Contact Details
29Metals
Tel +61 3 7037 5300
Email contactus@29metals.com

Sources
29Metals. Website: https://www.29metals.com/
29Metals. Mineral Resources & Ore Reserves Estimates (2023).
29Metals. 2022 Annual Reports (April 28, 2023).