Millennium Minerals Ltd advises that it has placed initial orders for key long-lead items that are required to expand the existing processing plant at its Nullagine Gold Project in WA to facilitate the treatment of sulphide Resources. The procurement of these critical path items follows the completion of the Processing Study on the extensive Sulphide Mineral Resource inventory at the Nullagine gold operation, which confirmed a selected flowsheet design that will deliver significant operational and financial benefits for the company. The commencement of the procurement process follows a review of the delivery schedule for the project which has identified the key long-lead items on the critical development pathway.
On the Outotec HIGmill, the company has committed to a 3-4 week Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) program (A$30,000), as the first stage of procurement for this important piece of equipment, which represents an integral component of the new process flowsheet. “The vertical Outotec HIGmills utilise existing and proven technology to treat material that requires a finer grind to achieve an economic mineral recovery.” For a second technology focus area, a spiral module, the company has committed to an initial FEED program (A$70,000) for the spirals module,
during which the preliminary engineering and design of this component will be completed incorporating the outcomes of the spiral testwork currently underway.
“Placing orders for these key long-lead items puts the company on track to achieve its targeted schedule of commencing commissioning of the sulphide circuit from the first quarter of CY2019. The ability to process the Nullagine Project’s extensive Sulphide Mineral Resource inventory represents a key component of Millennium’s aim to increase production to 100,000 oz/y over a plus five-year mine life.”
Millennium recently confirmed its preferred processing configuration for the sulphide circuit, which involves scavenging un-leached sulphide concentrates from the existing CIL tailings and subjecting them to ultra-fine grinding and intense cyanidation to achieve an improvement in the overall leach recovery. “This is a well understood
processing configuration similar to that which has been successfully used for many years to process sulphide ore at the world-class Granny Smith mine in WA and the fine grinding of sulphide concentrates for improved leach recovery as used at KCGM’s Super Pit operations in Kalgoorlie.”
Millennium Chief Executive Peter Cash said the commencement of the procurement process for critical path long-lead items for the plant expansion was another important step towards delivering the company’s growth strategy.
“Having certainty around the timing of delivery of key capital items such as the HIGmill and spirals is an important part of our expansion strategy – and will help to ensure that we meet our project milestones,” he said. “This is a
very positive step forward for the Nullagine Project as we gear up to unlock the potential of our extensive sulphide ore resource base and deliver a step-change in our mine life and production profile.”
