Cuba Mining

by Christopher Ecclestone

Cuba has a history of mining extending over a period of three hundred years. During the period 1900 to 2002, mining was a permanent activity, and during WWII the mining of manganese, some copper, and nickel was most important. The nickel resource comes from extensive laterite deposits that are considered among the largest reserves in the world, ranking alongside Canada, Russia, Australia and New Caledonia. Cuba is also an important nickel and cobalt producer, ranking sixth in the world in terms of nickel and accounting for 8% of the world's cobalt production. Cuban mineral production is largely state controlled, although the government has made steps to amend the mineral laws and legislation, which will hopefully change the industry's structure. In 1993, Geominera was formed as a private company utilizing state funds. Geominera focuses on gold and base metal exploration, whilst foreign investors are currently developing nickel/cobalt and gold resources. 

Cobalt

In 2006, production of cobalt (including ammonical liquor precipitate, oxide and sulfide) increased to 4,300 tonnes compared to 4,055 tonnes in 2004 and 3,982 tonnes in 2003. 

Silver

Holmer Silver (a private Canadian company that used to be listed on the Alberta Stock Exchange) has been working for several years on plans for its Loma Hierro Silver Project. Holmer holds a 50% interest in Plata Cuba S.A. (which holds Loma Hierro) while Geominera S.A. (the state mining enterprise) holds the remaining 50%. The Loma Hierro silver laterite deposit is located in the Pinar del Rio Mining camp in western Cuba. The probable reserves are 550,000 tons grading 10 oz of silver per ton, and exploration indicates potential to increase these reserves. According to the company there are approximately 10 million oz in situ, with the resource distributed in eight separate deposits over a one square kilometer area. Rescan Engineering Ltd, a member of the Hatch Group, completed a bankable feasibility study in 1999. The deposit is amenable to open-pit mining and preliminary metallurgical tests indicate that the ore can be readily treated with excellent recoveries. In January 2008, RJK Explorations Ltd. (RJX.v) announced that it has entered into discussions with Holmer Silver Co. with a view to pursuing opportunities jointly in Cuba, but nothing has transpired since that time as far as we can tell. 

Gold

Holmer (again in league with Geominera) has been exploring for gold on their Dora Francisco concession in Pinar del Rio. This property, which surrounds the Loma Hierro concession, includes two former copper-zinc producers .....




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