Battery Mineral Resources (“BMR”) 100%-owned Punitaqui copper mine operation leverages all necessary fixed assets and infrastructure, excellent road access, ready availability of water, existing power lines, operational permits in place, and widespread mineralization. Punitaqui boasts a nine-plus year operating history.
After acquiring the assets in March 2021, BMR begin redevelopment of the operation and on May 13th, 2024, BMR announced the resumption of copper concentrate production.
The timeline from first fresh mine feed through the mill to reaching planned capacity is expected to require approximately nine months, reaching a run rate of ~90,000 tonnes per month. BMR expects that the Punitaqui full annual copper production rate will be in the range of 19 million to 23 million pounds of copper in concentrate with an operating margin of $35 million to $50 million at current copper prices.
Cinabrio is the original underground mine which was the source of feed to the copper concentrating plant for over eight years and has remaining ore to be processed. The San Andres zone has existing underground access and copper mineralization up to 30 meters wide. The Dalmacia zone also has underground access and exhibits copper mineralization widths up to 50 meters. Regional targets including the Cinabrio Norte zone offer near-term “blue sky” exploration and district-scale potential for BMR.
While the Cinabrio and San Andres mines are reaching full production, BMR will continue processing mill feed from outside sources and advancing toward its newly discovered Cinabrio Norte zone, to commence production of mill feed from that zone in H2 2025.
As part of the ongoing operational readiness during 2024, BMR is executing underground infill and extensional drilling at San Andreas and Cinabrio. The drilling program is designed to further define areas that could be included in near-term mine sequencing and for grade control purposes. BMR looks forward to reporting the results of this drilling during the course of the year.
Battery Mineral Resources (“BMR”) 100%-owned Punitaqui copper mine operation leverages all necessary fixed assets and infrastructure, excellent road access, ready availability of water, existing power lines, operational permits in place, and widespread mineralization. Punitaqui boasts a nine-plus year operating history.
After acquiring the assets in March 2021, BMR begin redevelopment of the operation and on May 13th, 2024, BMR announced the resumption of copper concentrate production.
The timeline from first fresh mine feed through the mill to reaching planned capacity is expected to require approximately nine months, reaching a run rate of ~90,000 tonnes per month. BMR expects that the Punitaqui full annual copper production rate will be in the range of 19 million to 23 million pounds of copper in concentrate with an operating margin of $35 million to $50 million at current copper prices.
Cinabrio is the original underground mine which was the source of feed to the copper concentrating plant for over eight years and has remaining ore to be processed. The San Andres zone has existing underground access and copper mineralization up to 30 meters wide. The Dalmacia zone also has underground access and exhibits copper mineralization widths up to 50 meters. Regional targets including the Cinabrio Norte zone offer near-term “blue sky” exploration and district-scale potential for BMR.
While the Cinabrio and San Andres mines are reaching full production, BMR will continue processing mill feed from outside sources and advancing toward its newly discovered Cinabrio Norte zone, to commence production of mill feed from that zone in H2 2025.
As part of the ongoing operational readiness during 2024, BMR is executing underground infill and extensional drilling at San Andreas and Cinabrio. The drilling program is designed to further define areas that could be included in near-term mine sequencing and for grade control purposes. BMR looks forward to reporting the results of this drilling during the course of the year.
