Peruvian miner Chungar readies US$30mn investment

Minera Chungar, a subsidiary of Peruvian polymetallic miner Volcan, is preparing investments of US$29.9mn in modifications for the Alpamarca unit in Junín region.

Chungar filed the second modification of the EIS with the environmental certification service for sustainable investments (Senace).

See the EIS modification in the Documents box in the top right corner.

The document covers the Alpamarca open pit mine, the Río Pallanga underground mine, and a concentrator plant with the capacity to process 2,500t/d. The minerals processed are lead, zinc, silver and copper.

The planned improvements relate to the:

• conversion of the Alpamarca pit to a tailings deposit;
• adaptation of the stockpile for storage of own or third-party minerals;
• reconfiguration of the Capilla-Don Pablo waste material deposit;
• technological improvements in the industrial effluent treatment system;
• new 2.54km access road to Alpamarca;
• building a chemical laboratory;
• provision of concentrator plant services to treat third-party ore.

The modification was prepared by Yaku Consultores and would extend the useful life of the unit by more than a decade.

DETAILS

Construction would take almost a year, with works being carried out in parallel and within periods of three to seven months. It will create around 325 jobs.

The project revolves around the conversion of Alpamarca to a tailings deposit. “According to the proposed area to be used to dispose of thickened tailings … in the Alpamarca pit, there will be a capacity to dispose of 10.4Mt of tailings, which will allow mineral processing operations to continue for an additional period of 11 years and three months,” the report said.

Conversion will take five months between April and August after permits have been granted.

The new stockpile will be located at the current Capilla-Don Pablo waste rock deposit and may store mineral from third parties such as the Romina unit. The adaptation of the stockpile and the associated reconfiguration of Capilla-Don Pablo will take three months between January and March in the year after authorization.

The new Alpamarca access will be located between the concentrator plant and the northern area of the tailings deposit, which will allow links with other mining units within the area of influence. Construction will take four months.

Building the chemical laboratory will take seven months and include preliminary work, earthworks, civil works and electrical installations. The laboratory will have capacity to treat up to 200 mineral samples per 12h shift.