Three types of ore mineralization at the Vrshnik ore body, Buchim copper mine, Republic of Macedonia

The ore body Vrsnik as a constitutional part of the Buchim ore deposit is the most complex and completely zoned of all four of them. There strictly were distinguished three main ore types: oxide, sulfide and mixed. The oxide ore, that is of major interest within this paper, mainly was developed in shallow or near surface parts, i.e. in the first 20 m from the surface to depth (E660/675), than mixed oxide-sulfide or so-called cementation zone that stretches up to 50 m in depth, while below elevation 630 m continues sulfide primary (hypogene) ore. Total quantity of oxide and mixed ore is 5 Mt with an average content of 0,342 % Cu and it represents an important copper raw material for copper leaching facility within the Buchim mine. Total ore reserves within the Vrsnik ore body were calculated at approximately 14 Mt with an average content of 0,305 % Cu