Overview
| Stage | Production |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Processing |
- Carbon in leach (CIL)
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Cyanide (reagent)
|
| Mine Life | 10 years (as of Jan 1, 2018) |
AngloGold Ashanti Australia Ltd (70% and manager) and Independence Group NL (30%) have approved development of the Boston Shaker Underground Project at the Tropicana Gold Mine in Western Australia.
A Feasibility Study has confirmed that underground mining is technically and financially viable, demonstrating robust economics with an anticipated IRR of 39% for a capital investment of $79.3 million (100%). See Table 1 for breakdown.
The project will commence in the June quarter 2019 and first gold is scheduled for the September quarter in 2020. |
| Latest News | Kalgoorlie Power Systems wins contract expansion at Tropicana gold mine May 7, 2019 |
Source:
p. 134
Tropicana is a joint venture in Australia between AngloGold Ashanti (70%), which manages the operation, and Independence Group NL (30%).
Summary:
The Tropicana deposit comprises a mineralised zone up to 50m thick, hosted predominantly in quartzo-feldspathic gneiss with a garnet-gneiss dominated hangingwall package. The mineralisation is comprised of subordinate thin (3m to 5m), discontinuous mineralised lenses that typically return intercepts of >0.5g/t gold. The Havana deposit comprises a lower, laterally continuous, highergrade lode up to 50m thick that is overlain, in the central and southern parts of the proposed pit, by stacked, typically lower grade and thinner (up to 25m thick) mineralised zones. Havana is also dominantly hosted in quartzo-feldspathic gneiss, again with a garnet gneiss dominated hangingwall.
Mineralisation is accompanied by pyrite (2% to 8%) with accessory pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and other minor sulphides and tellurides. The gold mineralisation is related to shear planes that postdate the main gneissic fabric developed during peak granulite-facies metamorphism.
Together, the Tropicana, Havana, Havana South and Boston Shaker deposits define a north-east trending mineralised corridor, approximately 1.2km wide and 5km long, that has been tested to a vertical depth of more than 1,200m. The Mineral Resource remains open down-dip from the Tropicana, Havana and Boston Shaker deposits and has the potential to be extended to the north and south. Neither the immediate metamorphic host rocks nor the mineralised zones are exposed at surface due to the presence of widespread younger cover sequences of between 0.5m and 15m thick.
Summary:
Mining activities are undertaken by Macmahon in an alliance partnership with AngloGold Ashanti. Mining is conventional open cut, drill and blast, followed by truck and excavator operation to develop the deposits (Havana, Tropicana and Boston Shaker). The total annual movement rate is approximately 60 million tonnes per annum.
Processing Technologies
- Carbon in leach (CIL)
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Cyanide (reagent)
Summary:
The processing plant comprises crushing, high pressure griding rolls, one stage gridding and CIL recovery. A programme to debottleneck the process plant is current underway and an ultimate capacity of 7.0 to 7.5Mtpa is anticipated.
Recoveries & Grades:
| Commodity | Parameter | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|
Gold
|
Recovery Rate, %
| 88.9 | 89.1 | 89.3 | 90.2 |
|
Gold
|
Head Grade, g/t
| ......  | ...... | ...... | ...... |
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Reserves at December 31, 2018:
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Proven
|
14 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.37 g/t
|
620 koz
|
|
Probable
|
43 Mt
|
Gold
|
2.13 g/t
|
2,950 koz
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
57 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.94 g/t
|
3,560 koz
|
|
Measured
|
30.7 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.92 g/t
|
910 koz
|
|
Indicated
|
94.2 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.8 g/t
|
5,450 koz
|
|
Inferred
|
14.9 Mt
|
Gold
|
1.95 g/t
|
930 koz
|
Aerial view:
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