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Prospect Database: Monte Negro Deposit
Prospect Monte Negro Production reference Ruiz (1998)
Country Dominican Republic Production Period 1975-1996
Reference Location
field visit
Gold in ounces 5,335,918
District Pueblo Viejo Silver in ounces 24,422,758
Deposit Type Epithermal High Sulfidation Copper in Tons
Owners Rosario Dominicana Lead in Tons
Partners Barrick Gold 60%, GoldCorp 40% Zinc in Tons
Deals 1991 international bidding process won by Placer Dome Aluminum in Tons


Nickel in Tons
Resource in Tonnes 85,500,000 Reserve in Tonnes 70,600,000
Gold grade in ppm 2.9 Gold grade in ppm 3.0
Silver grade in ppm 14.0 Silver grade in ppm 15.8
Copper grade in pct 0.06 Copper grade in pct 0.06
Lead grade in pct 0 Lead grade in pct 0
Zinc grade in pct 0.51 Zinc grade in pct
Reference Resource Smith et al., 2008 Reference reserve Smith et al., 2008
Status The Pueblo Viejo mine, inactive since June of 1999, was purchased by Placer Dome and is construction in 2010. Capital costs are estimated to run $2,700 million.
Drilling 138,349 meters in 1814 drill holes at a spacing of 60-80 m.
Observations The Monte Negro deposit contains 8 Moz of the 22.7 Moz resource at Pueblo Viejo. Metallurgical challenges, addressed by the new plant and autoclaves, include high sulfide content (8%), local high copper and arsenic content, high carbon content, and silica encapsulation.