PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed WPG Resources has trucked its first ore from its Tarcoola gold mine, in South Australia, to the Challenger project, for treatment.
The truck haulage was initially planned for mid-December, but was delayed by nearly a month, owing to the need for additional approvals unrelated to the mining operation and the impact of unseasonal heavy rains earlier this month.
“Delivery of Tarcoola ore to Challenger comes at exactly the right time, replacing the depleted low-grade surface stockpile material. We anticipate an increase in both grade and ounces produced with ore from Tarcoola being processed along with Challenger underground ore currently being mined,” WPG executive chairperson Bob Duffin said.
“We are now starting to see the synergies between Challenger and Tarcoola, which we identified early on.”
The initial haulage rate is 500 t/d, which can be increased during this year.
Tarcoola is expected to have a mine life of two-and-a-half years, and a treatment period of three-and-a-half years.