Lydian International Ltd’s wholly owned Armenian operating subsidiary has signed key equipment supply contracts for its 100%-owned Amulsar gold project in Armenia. These contracts, signed ahead of the 2017 construction season, will provide all significant components of the mining fleet, materials handling system, gold-recovery plant, electrical systems, and worker accommodations.
Zeppelin International has been contracted to supply Caterpillar mobile mining equipment, including haul trucks, shovels, tractors, loaders, dozers and other units of mining support equipment. Zeppelin has committed to initial deliveries starting Q3 2017. Mine production is estimated at approximately 25 Mt of material during the first year of operations. Later equipment additions will increase average mining capacity to approximately 35 Mt/y (total) of material thereafter.
The materials handling system for Amulsar will be supplied by Sandvik. Major components to be supplied by Sandvik include the crushing and screening plant, the overland conveyor, storage reclaim and truck loadout feeding system. The crushing and screening plant will include a vibrating feeder, a primary jaw crusher and three secondary cone crushers, with a nominal design capacity of 10.5 Mt/y at a crush size of 80% passing 18 mm. The Sandvik overland conveyor will extend approximately 5.6 km with an elevation drop of 700 m from the crushing and screening plant to the truck loadout facility. The conveyor is designed to transport crushed ore at a nominal rate of 13.1 Mt/y. Initial deliveries of components for the overland conveyor are expected to begin during Q2 2017, with other conveyor, crushing and screening deliveries to continue through Q3 2017.
AZMET Technology & Projects has been contracted for design and supply of the adsorption, desorption and recovery plant (ADR plant). The ADR plant is being designed to treat up to 1,100 m3/h of pregnant solution through a five-stage adsorption circuit. Four tonnes of loaded carbon will be eluted twice per day in a pressurized elution circuit, which will be followed by zinc precipitation. The gold and silver bearing precipitate will then be smelted in a gas fired furnace to produce doré bars.
ABB is under contract for design and supply of equipment and materials for complete plant electrification. This will include the main substation and distribution grid, integrated automation and process control by optimized solutions, motors and drive systems, as well as premanufactured electrical rooms to house the whole plant electrical infrastructure.
Contracts were also entered into with Renco for design, supply, construction and assembly of a 680-bed residence camp immediately adjacent to Amulsar. Renco mobilized during Q1 2017, with initial occupation of the camp planned for Q2 2017. Renovation of a local-area hotel has also been completed and will be used for accommodations until supplemented by the Renco camp.
Howard Stevenson, Lydian’s President and CEO, commented, “Execution of these key contracts is a major achievement in the development of Amulsar. We are very pleased to have partnered with Zeppelin, Sandvik, AZMET, ABB, and Renco. Each is a leading equipment supplier in the mining sector and have committed to supporting our development plan for Amulsar.”
Lydian is a gold developer, focusing on construction at its 100%-owned Amulsar gold project, located in south-central Armenia. Amulsar presents an opportunity for a large scale, low cost operation with production expected to begin in 2018. Open pit mining and conventional heap leach processing contribute to excellent scale and economic potential. Amulsar will be Armenia’s largest gold mine, with estimated mineral resources containing 3 Moz Measured and Indicated and 2 Moz Inferred. Gold production is targeted to average greater than 200,000 oz/y over an initial 10-year mine life. Existing mineral resources and open extensions provide opportunities to improve average annual production and extend the life of mine.