PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Gold miner Red 5 has restarted underground mining at the King of the Hills operation, in Western Australia, and is on track to produce its first gold in the current quarter.
The ASX-listed company on Thursday reported that commissioning of the crushing circuit had been completed, along with commissioning of the gas pipeline and the power station, while commissioning of the semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mill has started.
“With first gold production expected in the current quarter at King of the Hills, our openpit mining teams are operating 24/7 and underground mining is now ramping up on schedule,” said MD Mark Williams.
“Commissioning of the crushing circuit is complete, commissioning of the SAG mill is under way and ore is being stockpiled for when processing begins. We are also completing the site power supply, with the gas pipeline fully operational, the installation of the solar panels complete, and the power station now ready to power the process plant.”
The initial mine plan for King of the Hills estimated a mine life of 16 years, with gold production in years one to six expected to average 176 000 oz/y, while peak gold production of 203 000 oz/y will be achieved in 2024, benefitting from underground mining of one-million tonnes a year in years one to four.