TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – TSX- and Aim-listed Aureus Mining expects to restart processing at its Liberia-based flagship New Liberty mine by mid-June, after the country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave it permission to restart discharges from its tailing facility.
Aureus had suspended gold processing operations early in May after only two months of operations, when the detoxification circuit was found to not be operating to original design specifications and leaking cyanide beyond the allowed limits.
The company advised on Thursday that a detailed start-up plan had now been submitted to the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy for formal approval. As modifications to the gold processing plant and detoxification circuit were nearing completion, the company planned to gradually ramp up operations with waste and low-grade ore towards nameplate capacity.
Processing was expected to restart after a gravity screen replacement and a full mill re-lining with more heavy-duty liners than originally supplied, as well as improved lifters and grates.
The company noted that investigations to date had shown that excess cyanide discharges were recorded at the plant and downstream, periodically between mid-December 2015 and March 2016.
Investigations led by international experts were ongoing with the aim of defining proper rehabilitation actions, as well as understanding the impact of these discharges on the river ecosystem and downstream water users, said Aureus.