PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Junior gold producer Beadell Resources has reported an increase in production and a decrease in costs following record plant throughput at its Tucano operation, in Brazil, during the three months to September.
Gold production in the September quarter reached 33 793 oz, at a cash cost of $956/oz, compared with the 28 089 oz produced at a cash cost of $1 081/oz during the previous quarter.
During the quarter under review, throughput at the carbon-in-leach plant reached a record 1.12-million tonnes of predominantly oxide ore, equating to a rate of 4.5-million tonnes a year. During the month of September, this rate increased to 4.8-million tonnes a year.
The process plant recovery during the quarter also reached 90%, compared with the 88% reported in the three months to June.
Gold sales during the September quarter reached 41 657 oz, compared with the 30 483 oz sold in the previous quarter, and Beadell had maintained its full-year sales guidance of between 180 000 oz and 200 000 oz for 2014.
During the December quarter, the miner expected to sell some 75 000 oz of gold, with the Duckhead orebody expected to produce around 40 000 oz, following the removal of the majority of waste.