Blanket Mine sets up oxygen plant, recoveries seen at 94%

Blanket Mine sets up oxygen plant, recoveries seen at 94%
Published: 10 October 2019
As part of its investment plans to ramp up production, Canadian based mining firm Caledonia Mining has successfully installed and commissioned a new oxygen plant at its Blanket Mine which is expected to reduce operating costs and improve operating efficiencies.
 
The mining firm which holds 49% stake in Blanket Mine in Gwanda, Matabeleland south of Zimbabwe.

Previously, Chief Executive Officer Steve Curtis said the bulk of the company's cash generation will be deployed to the Investment Plan at Blanket which is expected to increase cash flows as well as production to approximately 80 000 ounces of gold in 2022. Once the investment is completed towards the end of 2020 the company is expected to have substantial free cash flows to deploy elsewhere.
 
The new oxygen plant is poised to improve metallurgical recovery and reduce cyanide consumption at Blanket. But, based on test work conducted, it is anticipated that the plant will improve overall metallurgical recoveries at Blanket to approximately 94%. Recoveries have averaged approximately 93% in 2019.
 
"We are pleased to have successfully commissioned the new oxygen plant at Blanket and look forward to improved operating efficiencies as a result. This marks the latest in a series of investments to increase production and improve operating proficiency at Blanket as we continue our growth trajectory to 80 000 ounces per annum by 2022," said Curtis in a statement on Thursday.
 
The new oxygen plant will provide up to six tonnes of improved oxygen supply to the Blanket Carbon-in-Leach plant.
 
"We also anticipate that the oxygen plant will result in slightly lower operating costs as cyanide consumption is expected to be reduced as a result of the improved oxygen supply; and the operating costs of the new oxygen plant are predicted to be lower than those of the previous two tonne plant."

In 2018, Caledonia's net profit rose 15% to $10.8 million from $9.4 million in 2017 backed by a reduction in other changes such as foreign exchange losses and share based payment expenses.
 
Gold output at Blanket mine declined 3 percentage points from 56 133oz in 2017 to 54 511oz due to an unplanned lower recovered grade as a result of added dilution due to the adoption of long hole stopping in certain areas for safety reasons.
- finx
Tags: Gold,

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