Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Processing |
- ACACIA reactor
- Gravity separation
- Smelting
- Calcining
- Centrifugal concentrator
- Crush & Screen plant
- Concentrate leach
- Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
- Carbon in pulp (CIP)
- AARL elution
- Carbon adsorption-desorption-recovery (ADR)
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Cyanide (reagent)
|
EKJV is comprised of four producing underground mines: Raleigh, Rubicon, Hornet and Pegasus. Raleigh is currently on care and maintenance.
The acquisition of the Kundana assets was completed on the 18 August 2021.
A significant milestone was achieved in October with a life of mine milling agreement signed with Rand Mining and Tribune Resources to treat 100% of the EKJV (Evolution interest 51%) material through the Mungari mill. The ore will be processed in campaigns with the first batch to be processed in October 2021. |
Latest News | Evolution set for first ore after Kundana deal October 20, 2021 |
Source:
p. 1
18 August 2021 - Northern Star Resources Limited is pleased to announce that it has completed the sale of its Kundana Assets to Evolution Mining Ltd.
Summary:
The Kundana Operation hosts several deposits spatially associated with the Zuleika Shear Zone (‘ZSZ’), a NW/SE trending structure stretching more than 250km, separating the Ora Banda and Coolgardie Domains.
Typically, deposits within the ‘ZSZ’ are comprised of narrow, high grade quartz veins, hosted within smaller shear structures formed at the contacts of the Archaean Greenstone stratigraphy’s belonging to the two domains.
Strike extents for each of the deposits are controlled by late-stage NNE trending sub-vertical structures, exhibiting varying amounts of dextral offset.
In total, the Kundana area is known to host more than 5Moz of gold, including the deposits Raleigh, Rubicon, Hornet and Pegasus.
The Raleigh deposit is hosted within the Strzelecki Shear, located at the stratigraphic contact between Andesite/Intermediate Volcanoclastic and Gabbro, with varying amounts of interflow sediment.
The main lode comprises a laminated quartz vein up to 2m true width and dipping 70º west, grading on average 55gpt Au. Gold is typically associated with sphalerite and galena.
The deposit is well defined with drilling showing economic mineralisation extending up to 750m below surface.
The Rubicon, Hornet and Pegasus deposits are all hosted within the K2 Shear, located at the stratigraphic contact between Intermediate Volcanoclastic and the Victorious Basalt, with varying amounts of Centenary Shale.
The main lode comprises several mineralising events which can be distinguished by the presence of laminated or brecciated quartz, and differing amounts of galena, sphalerite, arsenopyrite and pyrrhotite.
Vein grades typically average 25gpt Au for the main lode with the structure varying in thickness from 0.5-4m and dipping 80º west. Several hangingwall lodes with varying orientation have also been identified and exhibit localised ore grades.
All three deposits remain open at depth, with drilling and underground development identifying distinct highgrade zones plunging to both the north and south.
Summary:
The Raleigh ore body is accessed form the Raleigh pit with underground stoping occurring at +650m below surface. Three other orebodies, Rubicon, Hornet and Pegasus, are accessed from the Rubicon pit and portal with stoping occurring between 200m and 400m below surface.
Crusher / Mill Type | Model | Size | Power | Quantity |
SAG mill
|
|
|
|
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Processing
- ACACIA reactor
- Gravity separation
- Smelting
- Calcining
- Centrifugal concentrator
- Crush & Screen plant
- Concentrate leach
- Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
- Carbon in pulp (CIP)
- AARL elution
- Carbon adsorption-desorption-recovery (ADR)
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Cyanide (reagent)
Source:
Summary:
All of the Kundana mines yield a “free-milling” ore, where the gold is readily available and recoverable in a conventional CIP circuit
Some of the free milling ore from the EKJV is treated at the Kanowna Belle processing facility.
The Kanowna Belle processing plant is a complex and versatile plant that includes separate circuits for processing free-milling and refractory gold ores. The processing plant treats ores from both the Kundana and Kanowna Belle Operations through separate processing circuits and produces gold bullion as the final product for both ore types.
The crushing and grinding circuits are common for the free milling and refractory circuits.
Pre-leach classification is achieved using a hydro-cyclone classifier circuit consisting of a cluster of 18 x 250mm cyclones that are fed from a central distributor. Only eight to nine of the cyclones are operated at any one time depending on volume of slurry in the milling circuit. Three ........

Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Gold
|
Head Grade, g/t
| 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.7 | 12.4 |
Production:
Commodity | Units | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Gold
|
oz
| 216,621 | 209,106 | 191,504 | 204,000 | 147,000 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Ore tonnes mined
| 0.9 Mt | 0.8 Mt | 0.7 Mt | 0.5 Mt | 0.4 Mt |
Reserves at March 31, 2021:
The Mineral Resource Estimate has been reported at a 2.13gpt (Underground).
The Mineral Resource Estimate has been reported at a 1.08gpt (Open Pit).
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
1,286 kt
|
Gold
|
4.8 g/t
|
198 koz
|
Probable
|
2,104 kt
|
Gold
|
5.4 g/t
|
363 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
3,390 kt
|
Gold
|
5.1 g/t
|
561 koz
|
Measured
|
2,198 kt
|
Gold
|
6.2 g/t
|
437 koz
|
Indicated
|
5,639 kt
|
Gold
|
5.2 g/t
|
951 koz
|
Inferred
|
3,035 kt
|
Gold
|
4.5 g/t
|
578 koz
|
Total Resource
|
11,874 kt
|
Gold
|
5.2 g/t
|
1,967 koz
|
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