Classic Minerals a step closer to gold mining with successful commissioning of processing plant
Classic Minerals chairman John Lester says the company plans to be mining at full capacity at Kat Gap by the end of July.
Aspiring gold producer Classic Minerals (ASX: CLZ) is another step closer to mining at Kat Gap after successfully commissioning its wholly-owned Gekko processing plant.
Classic revealed the plant had been assembled and commissioned at the company’s testing site in Gnangara Western Australia.
JT Metallurgical Services carried out the commissioning and testing, which involved processing small parcels of ore through the plant.
Classic chairman John Lester said the successful commissioning and testing was an “key milestone” achieved as the company advances its gold mining strategy.
“We remain on track to construct and mine at full capacity by the end of July 2021 and we look forward to updating shareholders as additional milestones are reached,” he added.
The plant has a 30 tonne per hour capacity and is scalable to a Gekko Python size plant that can process up to 250tph.
As part of the testing, JT Metallurgical generated a process flow diagram, design, electric load study and mass/water balance for the plant to achieve maximum gold recoveries.
Kat Gap gold project
With commissioning and assessment now complete, Classic will transport the plant to its flagship Kat Gap gold project 170km south of Southern Cross in WA.
The successful commissioning of Gekko follows Classic securing a mining lease for the project a week ago.
Mr Lester said obtaining the mining permit for Kat Gap was a “major company defining moment”.
Kat Gap hosts an initial JORC resource of 92,869 ounces of contained gold.
Classic plans to continue aggressive drilling at the project to build on the initial resource.
Last year, the company completed 81 infill holes for 5,888m of drilling.
Notable results from this program were 4m at 76 grams per tonne gold, including 1m at 304g/t gold from 79m; 3m at 62.1g/t gold, including 1m at 181g/t gold from 36m; and 10m at 30.77g/t gold, including 2m at 116.1g/t gold from 28m.
Test work has achieved gold recoveries of 95-96% using conventional cyanide leach processing.