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Paracatu (100% ownership and operator) - Brazil

The Paracatu mine is a large scale open pit mine located less than three kilometers north of the city of Paracatu, situated in the northwest part of Minas Gerais State, 230 kilometers from Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Kinross acquired its ownership interest in the Paracatu open pit mine upon completion of the combination with TVX on January 31, 2003. On December 31, 2004, Kinross completed the purchase of the remaining 51% of Paracatu from Rio Tinto.

Access to the site is provided by paved federal highways or by charter aircraft that can land at a small paved airstrip on the outskirts of Paracatu. The mine is the largest employer in Paracatu, directly employing 750 workers in what is predominantly an agricultural town (dairy and beef cattle and soy bean crops) located in Brazil’s tropical savannah. Gold mining has been associated with the Paracatu area since 1722 with the discovery of placer gold in the creeks and rivers of the Paracatu region.

The mill and mine operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The nominal plant throughput is 1.5 million tonnes per month or 18 million tonnes per year, considering the present ore hardness. An ore stockpile of approximately 10 days’ production is maintained near the processing plant. Its main purpose is to ensure uninterrupted mill feed in the rainy season when some delays may be experienced in the pit as a result of extreme rainfall. During the dry season the stockpile can be used if the pit becomes too dusty. Kinross is committed to controlling dust levels on site and in the city.

The Paracatu mine currently has a nominal capacity of about 18 million tonnes per year with variations depending on the hardness of the ore, as it affects grinding throughput. In general, ore hardness is expected to increase over the remaining mine life as the pit is deepened and hence throughput will diminish over time.

The Paracatu Expansion

Kinross’ Board of Directors has approved an estimated $470 million expansion projected at the Paracatu mine in Brazil, which is expected to start up in 2008. Average annual production at Paracatu for the first five years is expected to be approximately 557,000 ounces of gold per year at an average cost of sales of approximately $230 per ounce. As a result, total Kinross production for 2009 is expected to aggregate 1.8 –1.9 million ounces of gold equivalent. For the first ten years, average annual output at Paracatu is expected to be approximately 490,000 ounces at an average cost of sales of $259 per ounce. The current life of mine plan is expected to be approximately 418,000 at an average cost of sales of approximately $307 per ounce.

“In line with our commitment to ‘growth from core operations’, Kinross’ Board of Directors has approved a substantial investment at Paracatu that is expected to significantly increase production at attractive costs, especially in the early years. We continue to optimize our assets portfolio, with an intense focus on the project at Paracatu,” stated Tim Baker, Executive Vice President and Chief Operation Officer. “Already one of Brazil’s largest gold mines, Paracatu is expected to be one of the western hemisphere’s largest gold mines and a growing contributor to Kinross’ production profile in 2008 and beyond.”

Selected Production and Operating Information

 

 

Years Ended December 31,

Paracatu (100%)

 

2005

2004(a)

2003(b)

 

 

 

 

 

Tonnes mined(C)

000s

17,157

17,281

17,263

Tonnes processed(C)

000s

16,945

17,342

16,891

Gold grade

gpt

0.42

0.44

0.40

Gold recovery

%

78.2%

76.8%

76.8%

Gold equivalent production

ounces

180,522

92,356

91,176

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue

US$ MM

79.0

38.2

32.0

Cost of sales

US$ MM

50.0

20.6

18.0

Accretion & reclamation expense

US$ MM

0.7

0.5

0.5

Depreciation, depletion & amortization

US$ MM

17.0

9.5

9.8

Exploration

US$ MM

5.2

0.0

0.0

Impairment charge

US$ MM

0.0

2.1

99.4

Other

US$ MM

0.7

2.6

1.1

Net earnings (loss)

US$ MM

5.4

2.9

-96.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unit costs:

 

 

 

 

Per gold equivalent ounce produced

US$/oz

277

223

197

Per tonne milled

US$/t

2.95

1.19

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) 2004 and 2003 results reflect 49% ownership. The Company acquired the remaining 51%

 

and became the mine operator on Dec. 31, 2004

 

 

 

 

b) 2003 results are for the 11 months from February through December only

 

 

c) Tonnes mined/processed represent 100% of mine production

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mineral Reserve and Resource Summary
Kinross Gold Corporation’s Share at December 31, 2005

 

Tonnes

Grade

Ounces

 

( X 1,000)

(g/t)

( X 1,000)

Proven and Probable Reserves

1,186,808

0.40

15,210

Measured and Indicated Resources

      95,324

0.27

     839

 

 

 

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