Barrick gold
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WRITTEN BY DON CAMPBELL
El Dorado has been debunked as a myth. A legend fuelled by the Spanish’s hunger and lust for gold, and although the City of Gold has never been found the hundreds of explorers who have gone in search of this mystic place should have just spent some time digging beneath the surface.
THE REAL El Dorado
En español click aquí
“Within the South America’s Barrick Gold includes
the Pierina and Lagunas Norte gold mines in
Peru; the Veladero gold mine in Argentina; the
Cerro Casale project in Chile,” Luis tells us.
South America has an area of 17,840,000 square kilometres and
with a population of well over 371,090,000, most of whom live near
the western or eastern coasts of the continent while the interior
and the far south is sparsely populated. The geography of western
South America is dominated by the Andes, which is the longest range
of mountains in the world. It is vibrant and lush land, famous for the
Amazon basin and those of Paraná and Orinoco and most of it lies in
the tropics.
“As diverse as the country’s landscape it boasts a wide cultural,
ethnical and racial diversity,” Luis tells us, “People here originate from
South America as well as Europe, Africa and Asia.”
About Barrick South AmericaBarrick Gold Corporation is the largest gold mining company
in the world, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with four
regional business units located in Australia, Africa, North America and
South America giving it a complete global footprint. As well as South
America, Barrick is currently undertaking mining and exploration
projects in Papua New Guinea, the United States, Canada, Dominican
Republic, Australia, Peru, Chile, Russia, South Africa, Colombia,
Argentina and Tanzania.
“Since, January 20, 2006, when Barrick acquired a majority
share of Placer Dome, we have enjoyed the position as the larger
gold producer in the world,” Luis tells us, “In 2012, South America
produced 1.63 million ounces of gold at total cash costs of $467 per
ounce and in 2013, gold production is expected to be in the range of
1.25-1.35 million ounces at all-in sustaining costs of $875-$925 per
ounce and total cash costs of $550-$600 per ounce.”
Lagunas Norte PeruLocated on the Alto Chicama property in north-central Peru,
140 kilometres east of the coastal city of Trujillo, and 175 kilometres
north of Barrick’s Pierina mine. Lagnuas Norte, lies on the western
flank of the Peruvian Andes and is at an elevation of 4,000 to 4,260
“Since January 20, 2006, when Barrick acquired a majority share of Placer Dome, we have enjoyed the position as the larger gold producer in the world.”
BARRICK SOUTH AMERICA
For a million years ago the continent of South America saw fit to bestow the land with the 7000 kilometre crest of the Andes Mountains, the creation of which caused the creation of a range of precious metals that have proved more valuable than the city of El Dorado could ever have claimed. We spoke with commercial director Luis Pino regarding this legend of the industry.
HAUG S.A.Av. Argentina 2060, Callao –PeruTel: (511) [email protected]
HAUG CHILE INTERNACIONAL LTDAAv. Once de Septiembre 1881, Office 702, Providencia, Santiago de Chile - ChileTel.: (562)[email protected]
FACTORIA METALICA HAUG. S.A. SUC. ARGENTINAReconquista 1034 1st Floor, Buenos Aires- ArgentinaTel.:(5411) [email protected]
HAUG S.A. congratulates Barrick Gold South America for reaching this crucial milestone and wishes the best of luck in their future endeavour.
Pierina mine.”
In 2006, Lagunas Norte won first prize awarded by the Mining
Safety Institute (ISEM) in the category Open Pit Operations, this
recognition became a milestone in the sector as it was the first time in
the history of Peruvian mining a mine in its first year of operation had
ever achieved this award.
Environment At Lagunas NorteOn the environmental side, Lagunas Norte has the ISO 14001
Environmental Management System, awarded by the international
certification body Bureau Veritas and this recognition is part of
Barrick’s vision and values to maintain the highest standards of care
and preservation of the environment, this commitment throughout
the process operation.
Also, as part of good environmental practices Barrick, Lagunas
Norte has a ranch ecological project that demonstrates the viability
of a harmonious coexistence between farming and mining. At the
ranch the bred species include alpacas, cows, and other small animals
in order to improve and rehabilitate highly productive high-puna
conditions.
As far as productivity of the mine is concerned, in 2012, Lagunas
Norte produced 754,000 ounces
of gold at total cash costs of
$318 per ounce. Lagunas Norte
is expected to produce 0.56-0.60
million ounces of gold in 2013 at
total cash costs of $380-$420
per ounce. Proven and probable
gold reserves as of December 31,
2012, were 5.8 million ounces.
The Pierina Mine In Andean Cordillera
The Pierina mine is located
in the Andean Cordillera in the
Department of Ancash (Ancash
– ‘blue’ in the local Quechua
language) in north-central Peru,
approximately 10 kilometres
northwest of the city of Huaraz,
at an altitude of approximately
4,100 metres. Featuring an open-
BARRICK SOUTH AMERICA
meters above sea level. It’s an
open-pit, crush, valley-fill heap
leach operation.
“The mineralization is
disseminated and hosted in
volcanic and sedimentary rocks,”
Luis explains, “the deposit
is exposed at surface and is
currently defined over a strike
length of 1,600 metres oriented
in a northwest/southeast
direction and a width of 750
metres.
“Generally, the mineralization
is flat-lying and extends up to 300
metres in depth, disseminated
and hosted in volcanic and
sedimentary breccias and
tuffs. The deposit is of the high
sulfidation type and is similar
in style to the mineralization at
pit, truck-and-loader operation where ore is crushed and transported
through an overland conveyor to the leach pad area whereas run-of-
mine ore is trucked directly to a classic valley-fill type of leach pad.
“In 2011, Pierina produced 152,000 ounces of gold at a total cash
cost of $825 per ounce,” Luis explains, “Proven and probable mineral
reserves as of December 31, 2011 were estimated at 771,000 ounces
of gold and 23.2 million ounces of silver.”
As a result of rising gold prices, and based on mineral reserves
Pierina’s mine life has been extended to the end of 2016.
The Pierina Belt contains structurally controlled gold, silver, lead,
zinc and copper mineralization in the Calipuy volcanics. A 70 km long
belt of hydrothermal alteration is associated with the known deposits
which are underlain by basal andesitic lavas and overlying rhyodacitic
pumice and lithic tuffs.
Gold mineralization is associated with vuggy silica alteration
and is dominantly hosted in the rhyodacitic pumice tuff with lesser
amounts in the overlying lithic tuff and the underlying andesite. The
silica altered zone is flanked by quartz-alunite and argillic alteration.
Ore-grade mineralization in the pumice tuff occurs over intervals
of more than 260 m. The area of currently known mineralization
measures approximately 450 m wide by 1,200 m long and is open to
+54 11 5941 4444 | Gonçalves Dias 1145 [C1276ACQ] Buenos Aires | [email protected] www.sullairargentina.com @SullairArg Sullair Argentina S.A. sullairargentina
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the southeast. Significant silver mineralization is present. The highest
grades of silver (to 300 g/t) are located in the north end of the deposit
where over 95% of the mineralization is oxide.
“The leach process is a classic valley fill method. The ore is stacked
in a lined containment area behind a retention dam,” Luis diligently
explains, “Cyanide is sprinkled on top of the low grade ore and the
resulting pregnant (gold bearing) solution is then redirected to a gold
recovery circuit.”
Investment In Local CommunityBarrick’s investment in local communities is already making a
difference and the Pierina mine has had a profoundly positive impact
on local communities where poverty has declined significantly since
the mine opened and literacy rates are on the rise. Over 90% of
Pierina’s employees and contractors are Peruvians and they live in
the nearby communities who feel the positive effects of the company.
“Barrick is also involved with the A Roof for My Country,” Luis
describes, “An international non-governmental organization (NGO)
whose volunteers build transitional homes side by side with the
families who will live in them.”
In all, 335 homes will be built in 11 different communities around
Barrick’s Pierina mine during the
three-year program and 135 of
which will be directly funded by
the company.
Additionally, as the region
surrounding the mine suffers
from deforestation Pierina
mine holds a greenhouse that
produces and holds 300,000
trees and plants per year. Thanks
to this, Barrick has already
planted more than 1.2 million
trees in the mine area.
“In 2012, Pierina produced
110,000 ounces of gold at total
cash costs of $1,156 per ounce.
Proven and probable mineral
reserves as of December 31,
2012, were 542,000 ounces of
gold.”- Luis Pino.
The Veladero Mine, San Juan Province, Argentina
Utilising the same mining
and processing techniques as its
sister mine Pierina, Veladero is a
conventional open-pit operation
where ore is crushed by a two-
stage process and transported
via overland conveyor and trucks
to the leach pad area.
“One of our gems, in 2009,
Veladero produced 611k oz. of
gold at total cash costs of $438
per ounce,” Luis tells us, “Probable
mineral reserves as of December
31, 2009 are estimated at 12.0
million ounces of gold.”
Located in the San Juan
SEMISA S.AEMPRESA MAYO S.R.L U.T.E
(transitory united of companies)and 21collaborative companies
ARGENTINIAN MINE SERVICES COMPANY
SEMISA S.A –EMPRESA MAYO S.R.L U.T.EGRAL. MOSCONI S/N ENTRE CALLE 5 Y
PROGRESO-RAWSON -SAN [email protected]
www.semisa.com.ar
We are the region leader mine services company, specialized in people transportation.
Working in synergy with our clients we plan strategies trying to improve every day and in the way to give immediate solutions to all their problems, always focus on quality management, security and environment cares.
EMPRESA MAYO S.R.indd 1 13/08/2013 17:09
h t t p : / / w w w . e n . c e m e n t o s p a c a s m a y o . c o m . p e /
BARRICK SOUTH AMERICA
Province of Argentina, immediately to the south of the Pascua-Lama
property in the highly prospective Frontera District and elevated
at about 4500 metres above sea level, the property is located at
elevations of 4,000 and 4,850 metres above sea level, approximately
374 kilometres northwest of the city of San Juan.
Volcanics host epithermal mineralization and Veladero contains
at least 8 alteration areas with an aggregate 14 sq. km area. The
property contains several large bulk-tonnage deposits of gold-
silver mineralization in altered, silicified volcanic rock, dominantly
various types of silicified breccia and the oxidized zone extends to
considerable depth.
Veladero is a conventional open-pit operation and 2006 is the
mine’s first full year of production. There are two open pits, a truck
shop, primary and secondary crushers located next to Filo Federico
open pit, covered ore stockpile, secondary crusher and load out bin,
where trucks collect crushed ore to haul to the valley-fill leach facility.
“Veladero mine plan calls for mining 80 million tons per year of
ore and rocks,” Luis tells us, “Of that, 12.6 million tons of ore will be
crushed and sent to the valley-fill leach pads; and 3.5 million tons of
ore will be sent for additional processing, depending on the grade.”
“In 2011, Pierina produced 152,000 ounces of gold at a total cash cost of $825 per ounce.”
Environment And CommunityUsing the company’s experience at Pierina, Veladero are
providing emergency services training, health programs, an expansion
to the Rodeo hospital, and programs that promote mining industry
awareness.
“Things like internet access to local communities make a huge
difference,” Luis tells us, “The service has been installed in the towns
of Las Flores, Rodeo, and Jachal, where it is available at public libraries
and community centres.”
Safe transport, storage and handling of chemicals is a priority at
Veladero where spill prevention measures, such as double-walled
tanks and lined or bermed containment cells, minimize the risk of an
accidental release of petroleum products or other chemical solutions
impacting the environment or leaving the mine site.
Staffing And Community Barrick Gold South America
One of the key reasons we are so keen to highlight Barrick Gold
South America is to highlight the focus placed on their staff and the
local communities. The with such high yields coming from the land
Barrick Gold have responded with an ardent focus on improving
and developing the lives of
their staff and the surrounding
communities.
“We take this very seriously,”
Luis states, ““In 2005, we were
one of the first to sign the
UN Global Compact (UNGC)
which is an initiative that
directly involves the business
community in tackling some of
the most pressing social and
environmental challenges of our
time,”
The principles behind the
Global Compact are based
on internationally recognized
norms and conventions covering
human rights, including labour
standards, the environment and
anti-corruption.
Taking its responsibility
as a major employer very
seriously, Barrick Gold has
created thousands of jobs while
at the same time mitigating
its environmental impact and
working to develop the economy
of the region. With projects
of this scale there is always a
positive ripple effect when it
comes to employment. To a ratio
of 1:3, for every one person who
is directly employed an additional
3 are indirectly employed which
allows for some understanding of
the positive impact this company
provides.
“Barrick Gold South
America is all about people and
community,” Luis tells us, “They
are the pillars holding us up.”
“Barrick Gold South America is all about people and community,” Luis tells us. “They are the pillars holding us up.”
BARRICK SOUTH AMERICA
BARRICK SOUTH AMERICA
0056 22340 2022
WWW.BARRICK.COM
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