Centaurus Metals pursues project milestones and new opportunities in Brazil

Australian firm Centaurus Metals continues to develop its portfolio of gold, copper and iron ore assets in Brazil, while simultaneously seeking opportunities to expand its operations.

The company has the Jaguar nickel sulphide project and Boi Novo copper and gold initiative, both in Pará state, as well as the Jambreiro iron ore asset in Minas Gerais state.

Jaguar is expected to start production in 2027, with annual production estimated at 20,000t/y, while Jambreiro, also scheduled to begin output in 2027, will produce 1Mt/y of iron ore, Bruno Scarpelli, the company's Brazil-based executive director, told BNamericas in an e-mail interview.

Meanwhile, Boi Novo, in the renowned Carajás mineral province, is still in the exploration phase and it remains unclear when it would progress to the production stage.

According to Scarpelli, while the company continues to developing its three existing projects, it is also actively seeking acquisition opportunities in Brazil in the areas of "energy transition minerals and iron ore."

STATUS OF EXISTING PROJECTS

Centaurus still has yet to obtain the previous permit (LP), installation permit (LI) and operating permit (LO) for the Jaguar project, all comprising steps of the environmental permitting process. The firm expects to receive the first of the three before the end of this year or in early 2024.

The company is also seeking all three permits for the Jambreiro initiative, but has not stated when it expected to obtain them. 

According to Scarpelli, Centaurus is currently completing a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its Jaguar nickel project to confirm the capex and opex. That study is due to be ready in the first quarter of 2024.

Projected capex and opex for the Jambreiro iron ore project and the Boi Novo copper and gold project also remain undefined at the moment, but once they are estimated, the company expects to fund the developments with a combination of debt and equity.