JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Despite a delayed start to the openpit mining operations, ASX-listed Doray Minerals on Tuesday posted record monthly output from its Andy Well gold project, in Western Australia.
The Australian gold producer, developer and explorer achieved monthly gold production of 10 591 oz at 11.96 g/t of gold from the processing of 28 600 t at its flagship mine during May.
The significant increase in the size of the high-grade Wilber Lode Stage 2 openpit, where a substantial amount of the ounces had emerged, enabled a catch up in the original mining schedule, with the pit currently delivering a mine grade of around 20 g/t of gold.
“The Stage 2 openpit, as predicted 12 months ago, is having a positive impact on production and costs and is currently delivering above expectations,” said Doray MD Allan Kelly in an update to the market.
Openpit mining had started in February after a delay in final government approvals to clear additional areas for waste stockpiles.
Following the completion of mining of the Stage 2 openpit, production would continue from the high-grade Suzie Lode openpit, adjacent to the operating Wilber Lode underground mine.
The Suzie zone’s maiden inferred resource of 468 000 t, grading at 8.1 g/t, for 123 000 oz of gold, had pushed the global resource of the Andy Well mine to over half-a-million ounces.
Prestripping of the Suzie openpit has started and the additional high-grade openpit material would have an ongoing positive impact on production and costs in the 2016 financial year.