Classic Minerals on target for Kat Gap gold pour
Classic Minerals (ASX: CLZ) has reached another important milestone in its development of the Kat Gap gold project in Western Australia with wet commissioning of the processing plant now underway.
The company recently received approval to run the Kat Gap processing plant which is a key piece of infrastructure in its gold project development aspirations.
The wet commissioning phase will now assist the company in assessing the capabilities of the stage 1 plant which consists of a standalone crushing facility. Ore is then fed into a trommel for screening, then run through a ball milling operation to achieve optimum screening size.
The plant’s gravity extraction and separation process also involves hydro-cyclone Gekko equipment to produce concentrate ready for gold recovery.
Classic will then conduct concentrate cleaning utilising a single Wilfley table separator with a capacity of 1.20 tonnes per day to generate a smeltable gold concentrate.
Bulk sampling plans
The company plans to collect bulk samples during the wet commissioning and will use part of the bulk sample ore to assist with ongoing calibration. The company says this will ensure efficient and automated throughput, before processing the balance through the gravity circuit.
The projects Stage 1 processing facility has a throughput of up to 100,000 tonnes per annum and this phase will assist in planning for future upgrades.
Classic has contracted Industrial Power Solutions (IPS) to manage the wet commissioning process which is currently being completed by automation and controls specialist Consolidated Electrical Solutions Pty Ltd (Coelect).
IPS has also been contracted to lead the process design and construction package for Kat Gap stage 2 expansion. Additionally, IPS will provide Classic with support in developing an engineering and construction plan for the expansion of the processing plant, which will include increased Power Generation and Power Distribution infrastructure, Instrumentation and Software development.
A new CitectSCADA package for data acquisition and local operator control is being used in the phase 1 process.
Classic is planning to introduce bespoke software upgrades to implement all additional equipment and automate the processing plant with minimal interruptions to the existing process.
Automated sequence testing
The company has also elected to conduct automated sequence testing and instrument calibrations to allow for the required throughput as part of the commissioning process.
Classic’s management says the company will utilise the wet commissioning campaign to log recovery data which will be used to further progress the design work for the Stage 2 expansion of the process plant.
The company is planning to introduce a CIL circuit and upscale the milling to achieve a throughput of up to 200,000 tonnes per annum during stage 2.
CLZ will also continue its civil works study for Stage 2 expansion of the Kat Gap Project. This will include assessing the processing of ROM, increased water supply and storage facilities, development of additional access roads, workshops, administration buildings, and tailings storage.
Classic has confirmed it has completed drilling of a second water bore which is producing significantly more water than the first bore.
The bores will help to supply the necessary amounts of water for the processing plant and other operational and developmental needs of Classic Minerals.
Run of good news
The commencement of wet commission activities continues the run of positive Kat Gap gold news for Classic.
The company recently unveiled a significant resource improvement with 20,488 ounces of the previously inferred gold resource moved to the indicated level.
The Kat Gap project is located some 170 km south of Southern Cross and approximately 50 km south of the company’s Forrestania gold project.
Kat Gap has been the focus of the majority of Classic’s recent exploration effort since the project’s acquisition was finalised in January 2019.
The project is the site of significant historic gold exploration, with modern techniques used by companies such as Sons of Gwalia (SOG) from 1987.
SOG produced a historic resource estimate totalling 56,000 ounces grading at 1.4 grams per tonne gold with a zero grade cut-off and 36,000 ounces grading 3.9 grams per tonne gold with a 1.5 grams per tonne cut-off grade.