In mid-2015, Core Resources led the recommissioning of a gold processing plant at the Consolidated Murchison Gold/Antimony mine in South Africa. The operation achieved its first gold pour in November 2015, marking a significant milestone in the plant’s revival.
Background
Stibium Mining acquired the mine in 2015 after its previous owners placed it into administration in 2014. The recommissioning effort facilitated the re-employment of 200 local workers, underscoring the project’s positive community impact.
Core Resources’ Involvement
Core Resources played a pivotal role in several key areas:
- Recommissioning Strategy: Developed a plan focusing initially on gold production from an on-site tailings dam, preceding antimony production initiatives.
- On-Site Leadership: Managed the recommissioning process, providing continuous on-ground leadership with three senior personnel rotating on-site since June 2015.
- Expansion Oversight: Supervised a project to increase throughput from 50,000 to 75,000 tonnes per month, with plans to scale the tailings retreatment operation from 600,000 to 900,000 tonnes per annum.
- Equipment Upgrades: Identified and managed essential equipment enhancements and installations to optimise plant performance.
- Training: Conducted extensive training programs for local operators to ensure efficient and safe plant operations.
- Investor Relations: Core’s CEO, Peter Rohner, played a significant role in investor relations and assisted in securing financing for the project.
Challenges Addressed
Core Resources effectively tackled several challenges, including:
- Analytical Capabilities: Developed on-site analytical capabilities to correct inaccurate third-party assays of gold on carbon.
- Gold Pouring Development: Led the establishment of gold-pouring capabilities on-site, culminating in the successful first gold pour.
Future Initiatives
Following the successful recommissioning, Core Resources is leading the development of an antimony recovery project to capitalise on the substantial antimony resources available in the on-site tailings dam.
This project exemplifies Core Resources’ expertise in providing high-value leadership to revitalise mining operations effectively.
