MINE OPERATION
The mining operation concept for the Almas Gold Project is conventional open pit mining with production schedule that provides an initial 0.6 Mt stock of ROM with 0.92 g/t Au content, equivalent to six months. Commercial operation is scheduled to start up in July, 2022 with a ramping up until October, 2022.
The mine development is planned to allow access to those grade levels to maximize gold production and provide operational flexibility by mining several benches simultaneously. The number of pits mined simultaneously will be no more than two pits.
The waste rock comprises soil, saprolite, weathered and fresh rock. The excavation of these deposits requires the use of drill and blast.30% of saprolite will require explosives. Load and haulage will be performed by a combination of front-end loaders, hydraulic excavators, and on-road trucks.
Benches will be configured as follows:
• A minimum mining width of 30 m on a 10 m-high bench has been maintained for Cata Funda, but Vira Saia and Paiol include a final bench access incorporating an operational mining width of 15 m to maximize access to the mineralized zone.
• The waste and ore benches will be mined as 5 m thick layers, leaving a designed 10 m maximum bench height.
• The ore and waste zones have been analysed and it is possible to operate with a proper berm width and in-pit dumping operational space.
• The benches will have a slight de ........
