Western Australia-focused gold exploration and development company Classic Minerals says it has secured a Gekko gold gravity processing plant to be used for future on-site processing of gold ore at its Kat Gap gold project.

Kat Gap, around 120 km southeast of Southern Cross, Western Australia, has an existing 93,000 oz JORC resource with strong exploration upside and scope for high grade open-pit mining, the company says.

Gekko is a leader in the manufacture of gold processing plant and machinery with its plants boasting small footprints and low environmental impact.

An added attraction to Classic is that the Australia-made Gekko plant is modular and mounted on containerised elements providing for scalability and ease of modification, it said. The plant has a 30 t/h capacity and is scalable to a Gekko Python plant (pictured) with a processing capacity of 250 t/h, Classic added.

“Also, the mobility associated with the modular construction enables Classic to locate the plant adjacent to the orebody, which further minimises cartage and processing costs,” it said.

Classic’s purchase is for a two-stage gravity concentration plant from Gekko, which will be provided fully refurbished to new condition. The two-part plant will form the basis of the processing facility to be set up and operated by Classic at Kat Gap.

The company said: “Classic is now on track to set-up, commission and test the Gekko plant and commence processing of the gold rich ore at Kat Gap. The Gekko plant is ideally suited to processing Kat Gap ore, which has a unique high gravity gold concentration. Classic will have the capability and capacity to commence production as soon as the mining approvals (MLA 74/249) have been granted.”

To provide an immediate revenue stream, Classic has also commenced negotiations to toll treat any initial parcels of ore from Kat Gap, while the full-scale plant is configured to suit Kat Gap ore, it added.