PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Gold miner Orinoco Gold has completed a low capital cost process plant modification at its Cascavel gold mine, in Brazil, resulting in a 500 t trial parcel of low-grade ore being produced.
The modification included the replacement of screen deck panels with smaller aperture panels, as well as the fabrication and installation of a sluice box. In addition, primary and secondary crusher jaw gaps were reduced.
Orinoco said on Tuesday that in line with advice received from the company’s metallurgical consultant, the panels on both the upper and lower screen decks were changed out for smaller aperture panels with the aim of producing a finer product, with an improved particle size distribution, to the gravity recovery circuit.
The miner told shareholders that the purpose of the modification was to lower the tail grade by a combination of reducing the particle size distribution being fed to the gravity circuit and capturing gold from what was previously the final tailings stream.
CEO Craig Dawson said that both of the low-cost plant modifications recommended by the consultants had been successfully implemented, with positive results.
“Both modifications have delivered the desired outcome and resulted in an overall reduction in the tail grade, and hence improved recovery, from the process plant.”
Dawson said that further improvements are anticipated as the operating parameters of the plant are modified once processing operations restart in earnest later this quarter.