Fazenda Brasileiro is an underground gold mine located in northeast Brazil, 180 kilometres north northwest of the state capital of Salvador.   The property also includes a small open-pit mine and approximately 197,000 hectares of adjacent exploration properties.

 

 

Project History

Fazenda Brasileiro has more than 15 years of operating experience and a history of replacing reserves.

 

Type of Operation

The mine began production in 1984 as an open-pit, heap-leach operation, however, in 1988, production began from underground operations with processing in the newly constructed CIP plant and has been in continuous operations since such time.

Mine Highlights

• Since its purchase in 2003, Fazenda Brasileiro had 2.5 years of mine life remaining based on known mineral reserves. Yamana has since been mining at Fazenda Brasileiro for six years.
• Continued focus on reducing cash costs and improving recovery. 
• Expect to add resources and upgrade existing resources to reserves in 2009. 
• As Fazenda Brasileiro reaches the end of its known mine life based on mineral reserves, exploration efforts continue to focus on two newly discovered areas in 2009, CLX2 and Lagoa do Gato, which could represent significant potential to increase the mine life.

 

Production and Costs

2009A: 76,400 ounces of gold
2010E: 75-80,000 ounces of gold at $500-550 per ounce
2011E: 75-80,000 ounces of gold at $500-550 per ounce

 

Reserves and Resources

(at December 31, 2008)

 

Proven and Probable Reserves

2.8 M tonnes at 2.79 grams/tonne gold = 253,000 ounces gold

 

Measured and Indicated Resources

(exclusive of Reserves)
 890,000 tonnes at 2.5 grams/tonne gold = 72,000 ounces gold

 

Inferred Resources

(exclusive of reserves)
442,000 tonnes at 5.3 grams/tonne gold = 75,000 ounces gold

For further information please see Yamana’s mineral reserves and resources estimates


Expected Remaining Mine Life

Approximately 3-4 years