JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed junior Mantle Mining is steadily progressing towards first gold concentrate production at its Queensland-based Norton gold mine.

The company noted on Wednesday that sorter trials at the mine had been completed, with gravity plant trials currently under way using bulk sample material.

Further, high gold grades had been confirmed from the bulk sampling of stockpiles and primary shear, including grades of between 4.57 g/t and 11.45 g/t from the Frampton high-grade stockpile; grades of between 4.63 g/t and 9.52 g/t from the Frampton shear primary ore grades; and low-grade stockpile grades of between 1.74 g/t and 3.41 g/t.

Initial gold concentrate production was targeted from the Frampton stockpiles, which would be followed by a smooth transition into fresh material mined from the Frampton shear.

In the build-up to gold concentrate production, Mantle would complete the bulk sample trials and optimise a new process flowchart; it would also develop sufficient engineering data to place critical equipment orders; and it would expedite environmental and operation approvals with regulators.

Further, Mantle stated that it would fast-track on-site earthworks, as well as civils and the construction of the tailings storage facility. This was all production-timeline dependent on the confirmation of critical equipment availability.

Meanwhile, the company highlighted that ASX-listed Metal Bank had recently announced high-grade, thick drilling results at its Triumph project, which abuts the Norton gold mine.

“Intrusion-related gold systems are associated with significant gold production in Queensland,” said Mantle MD Ian Kraemer, adding that the Cracow, Mt Rawdon, Mt Morgan and Gympie gold mines fell within 250 km of Norton.

“Mantle is excited by the potential at Norton and notes that the mine remains on track to produce a high-grade concentrate in a timely and efficient manner,” he concluded.