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  3. Global assessment of undiscovred copper resources

Kazakh-Tarim

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Devonian through Early Triassic igneous rocks that include the Balkash-Yili continental-margin arc and younger rocks related to the Indosinian orogeny (collision of China with Asia)
Tract ID 142pCu8505
Country China-Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan
Commodity Cu
Study area name Central Asia Orogenic Belt
Tectonic setting island arc
Deposit type porphyry copper
Grade-tonnage model General porphyry copper model (Singer and others, 2008)
Geologic age
Geologic feature age Devonian through Early Triassic
Generalized age Paleozoic
Oldest rocks age 416Ma
Youngest rocks age 245.9Ma
Age range 170.1Ma
Identified Cu resources 6,700,000metric tons
Known prospects 27
Mean Cu (t/sq km) 113t/sq km
Map scales used 1M

Results of the assessment

Assessment date 2012
Estimators Alexeiev, D. (Russian Academy of Sciences); Bookstrom, Arthur A.(USGS); Frost, Thomas P. (USGS); Hammarstrom, Jane M. (USGS); Light, Thomas D. (USGS); Ludington, Steve (USGS); Mihalasky, Mark, J. (USGS); Panteleyev, Andre (XDM Geological Consultants)
Assessment depth 1km
Quantitative assessment Yes

Estimated number of deposits

Number of deposits Confidence level
3 90%
5 50%
25 10%
25 5%
25 1%
Mean estimated deposits 10.2 ±8.42 (0.83%)
Probability of mean 0.34
Probability of no copper 0.03

Estimated deposit density

Known
deposits		 Total
deposits		 Area
(sq km)		 Deposit density
per 100,000 sq km
4 14.2 344,293 4

Mean estimated tonnage

Copper 39,000,000
Molybdenum 1,100,000
Gold 980
Silver 13,000
Ore 7,900

Undiscovered copper resource

Confidence level 95% 90% 50% 10% 5%
Tonnage 600,000 2,200,000 21,000,000 99,000,000 140,000,000

Economic analysis

Fraser country Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan
Fraser type 0.22%
Fraser high 0.79%
Typical cost 0%
High cost 1%
Infrastructure setting High cost
Comments on depth default
Expected depth distribution
0 - 250m 0.25
250m - 500m 0.25
500m - 1km 0.5
Economically recoverable resources
Copper 19,000,000t
Molybdenum 420,000t
Gold 330t
Silver 6,100t
Probability no econ recoverable 0.26
Econ NPV 3,400x $1M
Exp dollars 7.88x $1M/100,000 sq km
Exp value class Low

Bibliographic references

General Mihalasky, Ludington, Hammarstrom, and others (2015)
Economic Robinson and Menzie (2012)
Mihalasky, M.J., Ludington, Steve, Hammarstrom, J.M., Alexeiev, D.V., Frost, T.P., Light, T.D., Robinson, G.R., Jr., Briggs, D.A., Wallis, J.C., and Miller, R.J., with contributions from Bookstrom, A.A., Panteleyev, Andre, Chitalin, Andre, Seltmann, Reimar, Guangsheng, Y., Changyun, L., Jingwen, M., Jinyi, L., Keyan, X., Ruizhao, Q., Jianbao, S., Gangyi, S., and Yuliang, D., 2015, Porphyry Copper Assessment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and eastern Tethysides—China, Mongolia, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and India: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5090–X, 106 p. and spatial data, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20105090X.Robinson, G.R., Jr., and Menzie, W.D., 2012, Economic filters for evaluating porphyry copper deposit resource assessments using grade-tonnage deposit models, with examples from the U.S. Geological Survey global mineral resource assessment (ver 1.2, March 2014): U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5090–H, 21 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5090/h/.

Deposits and prospects associated with this tract

Name Type State Country Development Details
Baogutu deposit Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Beidabate prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Chihu prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Da Hong Shan prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Dananhu Nan prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Dongtujin prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Jaertasi prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Kalatage prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Kekesai prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Koktasdzhal deposit Qaraghandy oblysy Kazakhstan Prospect Details
Kyzylkain deposit Shyghys Qazaqstan oblysy Kazakhstan Prospect Details
Lalisigaoer-3571 prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Lamasu prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Linglong prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Qiuxing prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Qunji prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Sanchakou prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Sawuer prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Tuwu-Yandong-Yanxi deposit Xinjiang China Producer Details
unnamed prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
unnamed prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
unnamed prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
unnamed prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
unnamed prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
unnamed prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
unnamed prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
unnamed prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Baowenbulake prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details
Kendenggaoer prospect Xinjiang China Past Producer Details
Songshugou prospect Xinjiang China Prospect Details