Nexa Resources Starts Ramp-Up Phase of Aripuanã Mining Project in Mato Grosso State

One of the Most Sustainable Ventures in the Mineral Sector Throughout Brazil, the Aripuanã Mining Project Now Begins Its Ramp-Up Phase and Nexa Resources Reinforced Its Commitment to Expand Zinc Production Capacity in Mato Grosso.

The mining company Nexa Resources announced last Tuesday (07/05) that it has begun the ramp-up phase, that is, the start of production in an industry, at its mining project Aripuanã, located in the state of Mato Grosso. This is one of the largest zinc mining ventures in the country and has a strong focus on adopting more sustainable practices for the production of the material. 

Aripuanã Mining Project Begins Its Ramp-Up Phase at Full Speed and Nexa Resources Focuses Its Efforts on Production Expansion 

Nexa Resources released the start of the ramp-up phase at its Aripuanã mining plant in the state of Mato Grosso and intends to use its investments to expand the production capacity of the venture. The ramp-up is the phase where the industry officially begins production operations and, at this moment, the zinc mining plant operates at full capacity to ensure good structural utilization. 

The Aripuanã Project is one of the most sustainable across the Brazilian mining sector, and Nexa Resources announced that it continues with this purpose during the ramp-up phase. This is because the plant has nearly 100% water recirculation and uses dry stacking and cemented paste filling for waste material, ensuring greater environmental commitment in production.

In addition to announcing the start of production, the mining company emphasized that the demobilization of the construction team is underway and following safety criteria.

Ignácio Rosado, CEO of Nexa Resources, commented on the importance of the Aripuanã mining project and stated: “Aripuanã is Nexa’s largest investment project in Brazil, contributing to the social and economic development of the region. It is also one of the few zinc projects in the world, and we are confident that it will be a low-cost mine with a long operational life. This is the third main mine in our asset portfolio, strengthening our unique position to meet the growing demand for zinc.”

Full Production at the Aripuanã Project is Expected for 2023, and Nexa Resources Focuses Its Efforts on Production Expansion During Ramp-Up 

The mining company Nexa Resources highlighted that the company’s main focus currently for the mining project in the state of Mato Grosso is to expand production capacity and take advantage of the ramp-up moment for this.

The company currently has more than 650 thousand tons of ore available in stock, and the expected grinding capacity utilization rate is an average of 30–40% in the third quarter of 2022, which will be expanded to 70 to 80% by December 2022.

Thus, Nexa Resources expects to achieve full production during the early second quarter of 2023. Furthermore, the zinc exploration mine is already fully operational, and the company is now seeking drilling in new areas in search of new ore reserves, having also reached the expected monthly production of 1,000 meters, which corresponds to 100% of the miner’s expectations. 

Finally, production projections for the year 2022 remain with the company, and the results are expected to range between 14 and 23 thousand tons of zinc, which may undergo some alteration due to the ramp-up process at the Aripuanã mining project.