Operations

Mineral Reserves and Resources

Consolidated Estimated Mineral Resources

MINERAL RESOURCES – Inclusive of Mineral Reserves CONTAINED METAL
  Category kt TCu
%
SCu
%
Zn
%
Pb
%
Mo
%
Ag
g/t
Au
g/t
Fe
%
Co
ppm
S
%
Cu
kt
Zn
kt
Pb
kt
Mo
kt
Ag
koz
Au
koz
Fe3
kt
Co3
kt

Pinto Valley1

31-Dec-2022

Measured 599,098 0.33       0.006           1,949     37        
Indicated 744,783 0.26       0.005           1,946     39        
M&I 1,343,882 0.29       0.006           3,896     76        
Inferred 164,224 0.26       0.005           431     9        

Cozamin2

1-Jan-2023

Measured 400 1.25   1.23 0.40   54         5 5 2   692      
Indicated 19,264 1.59   1.08 0.41   47         306 207 79   28,970      
M&I 19,664 1.58   1.08 0.41   47         311 212 81   29,662      
Inferred 12,283 0.72   1.97 0.83   36         88 242 102   15,123      

Santo Domingo3

13-Feb-2020

Measured 65,981 0.61           0.08 30.9 254 2.3 402         172 20,386 17
Indicated 470,567 0.26           0.03 25.0 225 1.9 1,205         499 117,444 106
M&I 536,548 0.30           0.04 25.7 229 2.0 1,604         673 137,828 123
Inferred 47,903 0.19           0.02 23.6 197 2.2 91         38 11,306 9

Mantoverde4

Sulphides + Mixed
(Flotation)

Measured 225,243 0.56           0.10       1,257         712    
Indicated 374,320 0.41           0.10       1,527         1,195    
M&I 599,563 0.46           0.10       2,784         1,907    
Inferred 605,434 0.37           0.08       2,229         1,547    

Oxides + Mixed
(Dump+Heap Leach)

31-Dec-2022

Measured 256,626   0.22                 555              
Indicated 219,962   0.19                 407              
M&I 476,588   0.20                 962              
Inferred 70,721   0.15                 108              

Mantos Blancos5

Sulphides + Mixed
(Flotation)

Measured 96,675 0.74         6         715       18,090      
Indicated 109,698 0.57         4         625       15,236      
M&I 206,373 0.65         5         1,341       33,326      
Inferred 22,490 0.47         3         106       2,350      

Oxides + Mixed
(Dump Leach)

31-Dec-2022

Measured 22,541   0.34                 77              
Indicated 97,440   0.18                 171              
M&I 119,981   0.21                 248              
Inferred 23,565   0.19                 45              
 
Total Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources 11,146 212 81 76 62,988 2,580 137,828 123
Total Inferred Mineral Resources 3,097 242 102 9 17,473 1,585 11,306 9

Download Consolidated Mineral Reserves and Resources Table

As of December 31, 2022

NOTES: Mineral Resources take into account mining activities to the effective dates stated, where applicable. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of the Mineral Reserves. All Mineral Resources are exclusive to dilution and mining recovery factors. All contained metals are reported at 100% except as stated. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent summation differences between tonnes, grade and contained metal content. Grade TCu% refers to total copper grade in percent sent to the mill for metallurgical recovery by flotation. Grade SCu% refers to soluble copper grade in percent sent to the leaching processes. Contained ounces (oz) are troy ounces. COG is cut-off grade. NSR is net smelter return. M&I = Measured & Indicated. All amounts in US$ unless otherwise specified. Stockpiled material is treated as Mineral Resources, described below. See Technical Reports filed under Capstone’s profile on SEDAR for further information.

1Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., FGC is the Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Resource presented in the Pinto Valley Mine Technical Report, effective March 31, 2021. Klaus Triebel, GPG, Chief Resource Modeler at Pinto Valley Mine, oversaw depletion of the of Mineral Resource for mining activities as at December 31, 2022. Mineral Resources are reported at a 0.14% Cu cut-off grade. Economic assumptions for the reasonable prospects pit include: $3.50/lb Cu, $10.00/lb Mo, 84.6% Cu recovery, 8.9% Mo recovery, $1.74/tonne mining costs, $1.13/tonne G&A costs, $0.88/tonne operational support costs, $4.67/tonne milling costs, and pit slopes by rock type. Stockpile material is included as Measured Mineral Resource. Pinto Valley Mine is an open-pit mine with mineral processing by flotation.

2Clay Craig, P.Eng., Director, Mining & Strategic Planning at Capstone Copper is the Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Resource in the Cozamin Mine Technical Report, effective January 1, 2023. Mineral resources are reported at a cut-off of NSR US$59/tonne. Metallurgical recoveries used in the NSR formulae are based on mineralization. Metallurgical recoveries vary by domain and NSR formula. Copper-silver dominant zones use the NSR formula: (Cu%*$70.72 + Ag g/t$0.53) * (1-NSR Royalty%). Copper-silver dominant zones use the following metallurgical recoveries: 96.16% Cu and 85.83% Ag. Copper–zinc zones use the NSR formula: (Cu%$69.74 + Ag g/t$0.50 + Zn%*$12.96) * (1-NSR Royalty%). Copper-zinc zones use the following metallurgical recoveries: 94.82% Cu, 83.82% Ag, 66.95% Zn, and 0% Pb. MNFWZ zinc–silver dominant zones use the NSR formula: (Ag g/t$0.35 + Zn%$16.80 + Pb%*$15.11) * (1-NSR Royalty%). Zinc–silver dominant zones use the following metallurgical recoveries: 66.50% Ag, 86.79% Zn, and 92.86% Pb. The NSR formula for MNV zinc zones is (Ag0.241 + Zn15.511 + Pb12.993)(1-NSRRoyalty%) using metallurgical recoveries of 55% Ag, 80% Zn and 80% Pb. The NSR formula for MNV copper-zinc zones is (Cu69.739 + Ag0.498 + Zn12.956)(1-NSRRoyalty%) using metallurgical recoveries of 95% Cu, 85% Ag and 67% Zn. The formulae include consideration of confidential current smelter contract terms, transportation costs and 1-3% net smelter return royalty payments. Metal price assumptions (in US$) used to calculate the NSR for all deposits are: $3.75/lb Cu, US$22.00/oz Ag, US$1.35/lb Zn and US$1.00/lb Pb. An exchange rate of MX$20 per US$1 is assumed. The NSR cut-off is based on operational mining and milling costs plus general and administrative costs. The Mineral Resource Estimate encompasses both the MNFWZ and the MNV. The Mineral Resource was estimated assuming underground mining by longhole stoping and post-pillar cut-and-fill with mineral processing by flotation. Mineral Resource estimates do not account for mining loss and dilution. All metals are reported as contained.

3David Rennie, P. Eng., an associate of SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. is the independent Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Resource estimates for the Santo Domingo Sur, Iris, Iris Norte and Estrellita deposits, effective February 13, 2020. Mineral Resources for the Santo Domingo Sur, Iris, Iris Norte and Estrellita deposits are reported using a cut-off grade of 0.125% copper equivalent (CuEq). CuEq grades are calculated using average long-term prices of US$3.50/lb Cu, US$1,300/oz Au and US$99/(dmt) Fe conc. The CuEq equation is: % Cu Equivalent = (Cu Metal Value + Au Metal Value + Fe Metal Value) / (Cu Metal Value per percent Cu). The general equation for metal value is: Metal Value = Grade * Cm * R * (Price – TCRC – Freight) * (100 – Royalty) / 100, were Cm is a constant to convert the grade of metal to metal price units, R is metallurgical recovery, and TCRC is smelter treatment charges and penalties. Only copper, gold and iron were recognized in the CuEq calculation; cobalt and sulphur were excluded. Note that the Fe grade includes all sources of Fe rather than only magnetite. Mineral Resources are constrained by preliminary pit shells derived using a Lerchs–Grossmann algorithm and the following assumptions: pit slopes averaging 45°; mining cost of US$1.90/t, processing cost of US$7.27/t (including G&A cost); processing recovery of 89% copper and 79% gold, iron recoveries are calculated based on magnetic susceptibility; and metal prices of US$3.50/lb Cu, US$1,300/oz Au and US$99/dmt Fe concentrate. Copper, iron and sulphur are reported as percentages, gold as grams per tonne and cobalt as parts per million. No formal production has occurred from the Santo Domingo property area. Santo Domingo Project Mineral Resources shown on 100% basis (Capstone’s share is 100% as of March 25, 2021).

4Ronald Turner, MAusIMM (CP), a WSP employee, is the independent Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Resource in the Mantoverde Mine and Mantoverde Development Project Technical Report effective November 29, 2021. Luis Tapia Hurtado, CP CMC, Resource and Reserve Evaluation Geologist at Mantos Copper, oversaw depletion of the Mineral Resource for mining activities as at December 31, 2022. Mineral Resources are reported on a 100% basis. The attributable percentage to Mantos Copper Holding SpA is 69.993%. COG varies per zone and recovery process:
Flotation: Sulphide: TCu ≥0.20%, Mixed: TCu ≥0.22% and SCu/TCu ≤50%. Dump Leach: Oxide: 0.10%≤SCu<0.17%, Mixed: 0.10%≤SCu<0.17% and SCu/TCu >50%. Heap Leach: Oxide: SCu≥0.17%, Mixed: SCu≥0.17% and SCu/TCu >50%. Flotation recovery is based on a geometallurgical model, 90.8% TCu and 67.9% Au average. Heap Leach recovery is 79.2% average. Dump recovery is based on operating data 39.4%SCu. The Mineral Resource pit is based on US$3.75/lb Cu.

5Ronald Turner, MAusIMM (CP), a WSP employee, is the independent Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Resource in the Mantos Blancos Mine Technical Report effective November 29, 2021. Luis Tapia Hurtado, CP CMC, Resource and Reserve Evaluation Geologist at Mantos Copper, oversaw depletion of the Mineral Resource for mining activities as at December 31, 2022. Mineral Resources are reported on a 100% basis. The attributable percentage to Mantos Copper Holding SpA is 99.993%. COG varies by metallurgical process: Flotation at 0.22% Insoluble Cu, Dump Leach at 0.10% Soluble Cu. The Mineral Resource pit is based on US$3.75/lb Cu and US$20.00/oz Ag. Flotation recovery is based on a geometallurgical model, 83.4% TCu and 70.7% Ag as average. Dump recovery is based on operation data 40% SCu. Through the Osisko silver production agreement, Osisko Gold has the right to buy 100% of the silver production in concentrate, less specified deductions, until reaching 19,300,000 ounces and subsequently 40% paying 92% of the market price. Stockpiled material is included in the Probable Mineral Reserve.

Consolidated Estimated Mineral Reserves

Mineral Reserves Contained Metal
  Category kt TCu
%
SCu
%
Zn
%
Pb
%
Mo
%
Ag
g/t
Au
g/t
Fe
%
Cu
kt
Zn
kt
Pb
kt
Mo
kt
Ag
koz
Au
koz
Fe3
Mt

Pinto Valley1

31-Dec-2022

Proven 226,353 0.34       0.007       764     15      
Probable 121,109 0.29       0.006       347     7      
Total 347,462 0.32       0.006       1,111     23      

Cozamin2

1-Jan-2023

Proven                              
Probable 10,210 1.65   0.54 0.29   43     168 55 29   14,258    
Total 10,210 1.65   0.54 0.29   43     168 55 29   14,258    

Santo Domingo3

13-Feb-2020

Proven 65,390 0.61           0.08 30.9 398         170 8
Probable 326,936 0.24           0.03 27.6 768         337 67
Total 392,326 0.30           0.04 28.2 1,167         507 75

Mantoverde4

Sulphides + Mixed
(Flotation)

Proven 172,210 0.62           0.11   1,067         609  
Probable 64,066 0.51           0.11   327         227  
Total 236,276 0.59           0.11   1,394         836  

Oxides + Mixed

(Dump+Heap Leach)
31-Dec-2022

Proven 161,973   0.23             374            
Probable 59,142   0.20             118            
Total 221,115   0.22             492            

Mantos Blancos5

Sulphides + Mixed
(Flotation)

Proven 64,952 0.76         6     494       12,884    
Probable 50,730 0.54         4     274       7,077    
Total 115,682 0.66         5     768       19,961    

Oxides + Mixed

(Dump Leach)
31-Dec-2022

Proven 2,224   0.34             8            
Probable 2,422   0.24             6            
Total 4,646   0.29             13            
Total Mineral Reserves 5,114 55 29 23 34,219 1,343 75

Download Consolidated Mineral Reserves and Resources Table

As of December 31, 2022

NOTES: Mineral Reserves take into account mining activities as stated, where applicable. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent summation differences between tonnes, grade and contained metal content. Grade TCu% refers to total copper grade in percent sent to the mill for metallurgical recovery by flotation. Grade SCu% refers to soluble copper grade in percent sent to the leaching processes. All Mineral Reserve estimates take into account dilution and mining recovery factors. Contained ounces (oz) are troy ounces. COG is cut-off grade. NSR is net smelter return. All amounts in US$ unless otherwise specified. Stockpiled material is included in the Mineral Reserves, described below. See Technical Reports filed under Capstone’s profile on SEDAR for further information.

1Clay Craig, P.Eng., Director, Mining & Strategic Planning at Capstone Copper, is the Qualified Person responsible for the Pinto Valley Mineral Reserve estimate effective December 31, 2022. Economic inputs to the block model were $3.00/lb per pound copper, $10.00/lb molybdenum, 86.0% average Cu recovery, 8.5% average Mo recovery, $1.68/tonne average mining costs, $1.13/tonne G&A costs, $0.88/tonne Ops Support costs, $4.67/tonne milling costs, and pit slopes by rock type. The Mineral Reserve is reported 0.19% copper. Stockpiled material is included as Proven Mineral Reserve. Pinto Valley Mine is an open-pit mine with mineral processing by flotation.

2Clay Craig, P.Eng., Director, Mining & Strategic Planning at Capstone Copper, is the Qualified Person for the Cozamin Mine Mineral Reserve effective January 1, 2023. The Mineral Reserve is reported within fully diluted mineable stope shapes generated by the Deswik Mineable Shape Optimiser software. Mining methods include long-hole stoping and cut-and-fill methods. The Mineral Reserve is reported at or above a blended cut-off of US$60.54/t NSR for long-hole stoping and US$65.55/t NSR for cut-and-fill mining. The NSR cut-off is based on operational mining and milling costs plus general and administrative costs. The NSR formulae vary by zone. Three separate NSR formulae are used based on zone mineralization and metallurgical recoveries. Copper-silver dominant zones use the NSR formula: (Cu66.638 + Ag0.484)(1-NSRRoyalty%). MNFWZ zinc-silver zones use the NSR formula: (Ag0.290 + Zn13.723 + Pb13.131)(1-NSRRoyalty%). MNV zincsilver dominant zones use the NSR formula: (Ag0.228 + Zn12.121 + Pb11.363)*(1-NSRRoyalty%). Metal price assumptions of Cu = US$3.55/lb, Ag = US$20.00/oz, Pb = US$0.90/lb, Zn = US$1.15/lb and metal recoveries of 96% Cu, 86% Ag, 0% Pb and 0% Zn in copper-silver dominant zones, 0% Cu, 61% Ag, 93% Pb and 88% Zn in MNFWZ zinc-silver dominant zones, and 0% Cu, 56% Ag, 80% Pb and 77% Zn in MNV zinc-silver dominant zones. The formulae include consideration of confidential current smelter contract terms, transportation costs and 1–3% net smelter return royalty payments. Royalties are dependent on the mining concession, and are treated as costs in the Mineral Reserve estimates. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

3Carlos Guzman, RM CMC, FAusIMM, an employee of NCL, is the independent Qualified Person for the Santo Domingo Mineral Reserve effective November 14, 2018. Mineral Reserves are reported as constrained within Measured and Indicated pit designs and supported by a mine plan featuring variable throughput rates and cut-off optimization. The pit designs and mine plan were optimized using the following economic and technical parameters: metal prices of US$3.00/lb Cu, US$1,280/oz Au and US$100/dmt of Fe concentrate; average recovery to concentrate is 93.4% for Cu and 60.1% for Au, with magnetite concentrate recovery varying on a block-by-block basis; copper concentrate treatment charges of US$80/dmt, U$0.08/lb of copper refining charges, US$5.0/oz of gold refining charges, US$33/wmt and US$20/dmt for shipping copper and iron concentrates respectively; waste mining cost of $1.75/t, mining cost of US$1.75/t ore and process and G&A costs of US$7.53/t processed; average pit slope angles that range from 37.6° to 43.6°; a 2% royalty rate assumption and an assumption of 100% mining recovery. Tonnage measurements are in metric units. Copper and iron grades are reported as percentages, gold as grams per tonne. Contained gold ounces are reported as troy ounces, contained copper as thousand tonnes and contained iron as metric million tonnes. No formal production has occurred from the Santo Domingo property area. Santo Domingo Project Mineral Reserves shown on 100% basis (Capstone’s share is 100% as of March 25, 2021).

4Carlos Guzman, RM CMC, FAusIMM, an employee of NCL, is the independent Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Reserve in the Mantoverde Mine and Mantoverde Development Project Technical Report effective November 29, 2021. Clay Craig, P.Eng., Director, Mining & Strategic Planning at Capstone Copper, oversaw depletion of the Mineral Reserve for mining activities as at December 31, 2022. Mineral Reserves are reported on a 100% basis using average off-site costs (selling cost) of US$0.28/lb for sulphides and US$0.30 for oxides and metal price assumptions (in US$) of Cu = $3.00/lb and Au = $1,100/oz. Mineral Reserves are contained within an optimized pit shell. Mining will use conventional open pit methods and equipment and use a stockpiling strategy (direct mining costs are estimated by geological unit, averaging US$1.85/t of material mined). Processing costs were estimated by geometallurgical units (from UG1 to UG10) averaging US$7.28/t of milled material, including concentrator, tailings storage facility, port and desalination costs. Processing cost for material sent to the heap leach was US$6.28/t. For material sent to the run-of-mine dump leach, the processing cost was US$2.12/t. Total copper recoveries average 88.4% for sulphides and gold recoveries average 71.2%. Soluble copper recoveries average 75.0% for material sent to the heap leach and 42.5% for material sent to the dump leach process. Inter-ramp angles vary from 26˚ to 60˚. The life-of-mine strip ratio is 2.12 to 1.

5Carlos Guzman, RM CMC, FAusIMM, an employee of NCL, is the independent Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Reserve in the Mantos Blancos Mine Technical Report effective November 29, 2021. Clay Craig, P.Eng., Director, Mining & Strategic Planning at Capstone Copper, oversaw depletion of the Mineral Reserve for mining activities as at December 31, 2022. The Mineral Reserve is based on average off-site costs (selling cost) of US$0.27/lb for sulphides and US$0.42/lb for oxides. Mineral Reserves are contained within an optimized pit shell. The estimated Mineral Reserves are reported using metal prices of US$2.90/lb Cu and US$17/oz Ag. Mining will use conventional open pit methods and equipment and a stockpiling strategy (direct mining costs are estimated at the base bench at 900 masl, averaging US$1.60/t of material mined). Processing costs average US$9.98/t of milled material, including concentrator, tailings storage facility and port costs. Processing cost for material sent to dump leach is US$1.47/t. TCu recovery averages 83.1% for sulphides and silver recoveries average 79.5%. SCu recovery averages 42% for material sent to the dump leach. Inter-ramp angles vary from 36˚ to 59˚. The life-of-mine strip ratio is 4 to 1. Through the Osisko silver production agreement, Osisko Gold has the right to buy 100% of the silver production in concentrate (less specified deductions) until reaching 19,300,000 ounces and subsequently 40% paying 92% of the market price. Stockpiled material is included in the Probable Mineral Reserve.