BATEMAN has been contracted by Miramar Mining Corporation to investigate
the potential to install an SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill to
reduce capital and operating costs on the proposed initial development
of the high-grade Doris North gold deposit at the Hope Bay project
in Nunavut, Canada.
This investigation is an extension of a feasibility study conducted
by BATEMAN with other consultants, which was completed in 2003, with
the objective of facilitating the rapid development of low-cost, high-return
and low-risk gold production on the Hope Bay belt. Based on the results
of this study, production on the Doris North deposit is targeted to
commence in early 2006, subject to the granting of the required permits.
The mining of the Doris North Zone will be by underground methods,
with ore hauled from underground by truck to a crusher located adjacent
to the portal feeding a modular milling plant pre-constructed off
site and transported to site in assembled units.
A modular concept was selected for the study as no foundations would
be required for the mill, which could be set on bedrock and compacted
fill and covered with a sprung structure similar to those used at
a number of other arctic locations. The ore will undergo conventional
crushing and grinding with an integrated, gravity, gold-recovery circuit
followed by flotation and cyanidation of flotation concentrates, with
gold dorŽ produced on site.
The mining resources defined within the study comprise the Doris Hinge
and portions of the Central and Lakeshore veins in the limbs of the
Doris Hinge vein. The feasibility study was prepared on the basis
of developing the facilities for a longer-term operation than the
expected two-year lifespan of the Doris North deposit, as there is
significant potential to extend the mine's life through the development
and mining of other resources in the Hope Bay belt. The mill was therefore
designed for a maximum throughput of 800 t/day to accommodate possible
future increases in throughput, even though the feasibility study
considered an average throughput of 668 t/ day.
The BATEMAN modular gold-process plants for the extraction and recovery
of gold are particularly suited for fast-track operations and for
remote sites where construction is difficult. This is due to the fact
that the plants are designed, fabricated, trial erected and water
commissioned in the factory and then partially dismantled for transport
to site where they can be rapidly re-assembled and commissioned.
Pre-concentrating the gold into a small volume of concentrate that
can be intensively treated is another key feature of the BATEMAN modular
gold plants. This feature leads to a more compact operation; minimised
reagent exposure, containment and elimination; reduced leach times
and circuits; and possible direct gold recovery via electrowinning,
thus avoiding carbon adsorption, stripping and regeneration.
Please contact Dr Peter Spencer, General Manager, Gold on +61-9316-6905
or e-mail gold@batemanengineering.com
for more information.
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