PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Gold miner Resolute Mining has completed repairs to the sulphide roaster at the Syama gold mine, in Mali, within time and budget.
The roaster, which forms part of the sulphide processing circuit, was taken off line in October this year after a crack was detected in the main external shell.
The repair programme included extensive refurbishment to the roaster and new installations, and during the repair programme, a new secondary cone crusher was installed to the sulphide crusher as well as chute improvements, reline of sulphide primary mill, refurbishment of the sulphide grinding circuit, refurbishment of the flotation circuit, process flow improvements in the calcine regrind circuit, replacement of concentrate thickener rakes and carbon leach tank refurbishments.
Resolute told shareholders that these refurbishments, in addition to the completion of the roaster repairs, created an opportunity for the company to reschedule the major biennial roaster shut-down, which had been scheduled for May next year.
Following the reheating of the roaster, operational performance will be monitored to determine if the roaster shut-down could now be deferred until January 2021.
The reheating of the roaster has now started prior to the restart of normal roaster operations, with concentrate feed expected to start in five days.