PERTH (miningweekly.cm) – Crushing activities have started at ASX-listed Emerald Resources’ Okvau gold project, in Cambodia.
“The first ore feed and commencement of wet commissioning of the Okvau gold project is a significant milestone for the company and represents the exceptional efforts by our experienced construction and development team with co-operation from our quality contractors and global suppliers,” said Emerald MD Morgan Hart.
“The project has remained on budget and on schedule, despite the logistical challenges brought on by the global pandemic and is a testament to the skill and experience of the team we have assembled on site throughout this process.”
Hart noted that construction activities at Okvau were nearing practical completion and openpit mining had delivered over 245 000 t of predominantly oxide ore for the run-of-mine pad.
The oxide feed is being used to wet commission the mill and leaching circuit for the first few weeks of operations, allowing the ramp-up of gold-in-circuit in advance of the maiden gold pour this month.
The Okvau project is expected to require a capital investment of $98-million to develop a two-million-tonne-a-year operation delivering about 106 000 oz of gold, over an initial mine life of seven years.