VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Diversified Canadian miner RNC Minerals has reported a 21% year-on-year increase in fourth-quarter gold output from the Beta Hunt mine, in Western Australia, producing 12 722 oz of gold.
The Toronto-headquartered company mined 160 000 t of ore at Beta Hunt, which had an average grade of 2.47 g/t gold during the fourth-quarter ended December.
The mill processed 158 000 t of ore at a head grade of 2.39 g/t gold, compared with 182 000 t grading 2.23 g/t gold in the third quarter.
Gold recovery improved to 92% from 90% in the third quarter.
Beta Hunt also produced 7 000 t of nickel in concentrate, grading 2.64% nickel.
"I am very pleased with the continued quarter-on-quarter performance improvement in Beta Hunt mine production to record levels underpinned by continued improvements in both tonnes mined and grade. We expect continued robust improvements in throughput and grade during the current quarter," president and CEO Mark Selby stated.
For the full-year, RNC produced 37 027 oz of gold – a year-on-year improvement of 33% – while gold sales soared 60% to 33 578 oz of gold.
For the full-year, mined nickel output totalled 33 800 t and milled production was 33 700 t at a mill grade of 2.73%. Nickel in concentrate output was 160 t during the fourth quarter and 800 t for the full-year.