DRDGold embarks on R23m Ergo plant upgrade

10th February 2015 By: Natasha Odendaal - Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Following the completion of a feasibility study, JSE- and NYSE-listed DRDGold was preparing to upgrade its Ergo processing plant, at a cost of R23-million, to increase its treatment capacity.

The tailings gold miner planned to refurbish and recommission five tanks within the Brakpan-based plant’s existing carbon-in-leach circuit to initially treat the 21-million-tonne Van Dyk tailings dam resource.

The upgrade, which would be completed by September, would increase treatment capacity by 300 000 t/m to 2.1-million tonnes a month.

DRDGold said the project would be funded from additional internal cash flows from the retreatment of the Van Dyk dam, breaking even at a gold price of R384 000/kg.