Ero Copper Corp. said Oct. 10 that the proven and probable mineral reserves at its 99.6%-owned Vale do Curaçá property within the Curaçá Valley copper mine in Brazil increased 106% to about 38 million tonnes containing 436,000 tonnes of copper at a US$2.75 per pound price assumption, from 18.4 million tonnes containing 342,800 tonnes of copper in September 2018.
Measured and indicated mineral resources, meanwhile, increased 69% to about 72 million tonnes containing approximately 894,000 tonnes of copper, inclusive of mineral reserves.
The company's updated life of mine production plan increased copper production by about 140,000 tonnes of copper.
The increase in reserves provides a pathway for a low-cost and phased mill expansion to return the mill to its original design capacity of 5.5 million tonnes per annum with a preliminary capital expenditure of US$63 million.
