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    Meridian’s Cabaçal NPV doubles: project economics and capex lens for mine planners

    September 22, 2026|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    Meridian’s Cabaçal NPV doubles: project economics and capex lens for mine planners

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    Meridian Mining’s updated feasibility study for the Cabaçal gold-copper project in Mato Grosso more than doubles after-tax NPV to US$2.09 billion, assuming US$3,570/oz gold, US$5.03/lb copper and US$50.17/oz silver, with an IRR of 108% and an 11‑month payback on US$322 million initial capex. The staged open-pit plan is based on 56.04 million tonnes of proven and probable reserves grading 0.61 g/t gold and 0.35% copper, ramping plant throughput from 1.93 Mt/y to 4.5 Mt/y via a US$56 million expansion. Meridian forecasts first‑five‑year output averaging 183,500 gold‑equivalent oz/y at US$715/oz AISC, with installation licence approval and project financing still pending.

    Technical Brief

    • Mine life totals 13.9 years: ~10 years open-pit mining plus 3.9 years stockpile processing.
    • Proven and probable reserves increased 34% versus 2025 PFS, from 41.7 Mt to 56.04 Mt.
    • Reserve inventory contains 1.11 Moz Au, 430 Mlb Cu and 2.39 Moz Ag in situ.
    • Recovered metal over life-of-mine is estimated at 983,500 oz Au, 180,600 t Cu and 1.78 Moz Ag.
    • Year‑one plant feed is heavily front‑loaded: 2.8 g/t Au, 0.71% Cu, 2.69 g/t Ag.
    • Throughput steps from 1.93 Mt/y (year 1) to 2.5 Mt/y (years 2–3) then 4.5 Mt/y from year 4.
    • Expansion to 4.5 Mt/y requires an additional US$56 million, with sustaining capital US$74 million and closure US$59 million.
    • Operating cost is forecast at US$22.41/t milled after Brazilian tax credits, with 10% capex contingency.
    • Mine plan must remain within the preliminary licence footprint; any larger pit or higher tonnage needs permit amendment.
    • Meridian has committed US$15.9 million to pre‑construction, ordered SAG and regrind mills, and opened a data room for ~30 lenders.

    Our Take

    With Meridian Mining now valued at about US$1.07 billion and having raised roughly US$34 million in its London debut on 1 May 2026, the Cabaçal gold-copper project in Brazil is effectively anchoring a mid-cap developer profile rather than a junior, which can broaden the pool of institutional lenders beyond the 30 already in the data room.

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    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

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