The ore being treated at Elikhulu originated from previously mined and metallurgically treated Kimberley Reef from the Winkelhaak, Leslie/Bracken and Kinross Mines as part of Evander Mines’ operations.

The material is confined to the deposition site of historical tailings and approximately 1m beneath the historical footprint. The ore consists of oxidised tailings containing pyrite associated gold which was not recovered in the initial treatment process.

Elikhulu Tailings Retreatment Plant (ETRP) is a surface re-mining site with road access from all surface material sources to the plant. Ore is pumped (hydraulic re-mining) to the Elikhulu plant in slurry form.

Elikhulu is expected to yield approximately 60Koz of gold per annum for the initial six years of production (while treating the Kinross and Leslie/Bracken TSFs). Thereafter, while processing the Winkelhaak TSF, production is expected to be approximately 45Koz per annum for the plant’s remaining six years. These production estimates exclude an Inferred Resource of 102Koz of gold delineated in the soil material beneath the existing tailings dumps.

At the Elikhulu plant ore from tailings is subjected to pre-oxidation to enhance the metallurgical recovery, from where it is processed through a CIL circuit, with a carbon regeneration and elution (and electrowinning) section. Elikhulu has its own smelt house. The design processing capacity at Elikhulu is approximately 1,200ktpm.