Gold-from-dumps company DRDGold is holding thumbs that it can pilot its Ergo plant out of a first-quarter nosedive and back on to horizontal flight by Christmas. To do so, the gold recovery plant in Brakpan will become a veritable research laboratory as the JSE- and NYSE-listed company goes about rebooting its faltering new flotation/fine grind circuit. Abysmal production resulted in a pretax loss of R36-million and soaring all-in sustaining costs in the three months to March 31. Since DRDGold commissioned the new high-grade section, it has seen its share price fall through the floor.