Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit / Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Cemented backfill
|
Processing |
- Flotation
- Pressure oxidation
- Carbon in leach (CIL)
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Cyanide (reagent)
|
Mine Life | 2035 |
Source:
p. 81
Polymetal International plc holds Albazino through its 100% subsidiary Albazino Resources Ltd.
Summary:
The Albazino deposit consists of several seemingly isolated northwest-trending mineralisation zones separated by fatult-bounded structural blocks. Mineralisation extends over 7 km in length with the Anfisa, Olga, Ekaterina and Farida zones in the northeast, and Nadezhda in the northwest.
Gold mineralisation at Albazino is of the low-sulphide, gold-pyrite-arsenopyrite type, and is assicated with moderately dipping dykes that crosscut sandstrones. The most intense gold mineralisation is associated with fold zones, averaging between 10 and 30m in thickness with intense veining.
Mining Methods
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Cemented backfill
Summary:
Albazino is mined by conventional open-pit truck-shovel and drill-and-blast methods. The current life-of-mine plan provides for open-pit mining until 2031, with further extensions anticipated as a result of pit enlargement and additional exploration activities, particularly exploration at the Ekaterina and Farida ore zones.
[http://www.minesandprojects.com/reports/annual/Polymetal_International_Albazino_mining_processing_web_2020.jpg]
At Albazino, underground mine productivity continued to improve as a result of the full transition to a partially cemented waste backfill. The new mining method had a positive impact on grades that offset slightly lower recovery levels, impacted by near-surface, partially oxidised ore from Ekaterina-1.
Processing
- Flotation
- Pressure oxidation
- Carbon in leach (CIL)
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Cyanide (reagent)
Source:
Summary:
Albazino ore is refractory, with the majority of gold intimately associated with arsenopyrite and pyrite in microscopic and sub-microscopic form. As such, it is not amenable to recovery by conventional cyanidation. The zone of oxidised and transitional ore is developed to a maximum depth of 40 m.
Here, the run-of-mine ore is fed to the primary jaw crusher and reduced to 250 mm which is then subject to three-stage milling (in one SAG mill and two ball mills) followed by two-stage conventional flotation in parallel circuits. The flotation concentrate is then thickened, filtered, dried, bagged and shipped to the Amursk POX facility for further processing, while the flotation tails are thickened and sent to the valley-fill tailings storage that is lined with an impoundment dam.
The Albazino concentrator has been running at its full 1,600 ktpa design capacity since its launch in 2011. The bench scale autoclaving test work on the Albazino concentrate was carried out at ........

Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Gold
|
Recovery Rate, %
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
Gold
|
Concentrate Grade, g/t
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
Gold
|
Head Grade, g/t
| 4.6 | 5.3 | 4.9 |
- Subscription is required.
Reserves at January 1, 2020:
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
4,430 kt
|
Gold
|
3.5 g/t
|
492 koz
|
Proven
|
4,430 kt
|
Gold Equivalent
|
3.5 g/t
|
492 koz
|
Probable
|
11,080 kt
|
Gold
|
4.1 g/t
|
1,446 koz
|
Probable
|
11,080 kt
|
Gold Equivalent
|
4.1 g/t
|
1,446 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
15,510 kt
|
Gold
|
3.9 g/t
|
1,938 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
15,510 kt
|
Gold Equivalent
|
3.9 g/t
|
1,938 koz
|
Measured
|
3,440 kt
|
Gold
|
2.7 g/t
|
296 koz
|
Measured
|
3,440 kt
|
Gold Equivalent
|
2.7 g/t
|
296 koz
|
Indicated
|
3,910 kt
|
Gold
|
4.6 g/t
|
581 koz
|
Indicated
|
3,910 kt
|
Gold Equivalent
|
4.6 g/t
|
581 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
7,350 kt
|
Gold
|
3.7 g/t
|
877 koz
|
Measured & Indicated
|
7,350 kt
|
Gold Equivalent
|
3.7 g/t
|
877 koz
|
Inferred
|
4,710 kt
|
Gold
|
6.1 g/t
|
922 koz
|
Inferred
|
4,710 kt
|
Gold Equivalent
|
6.1 g/t
|
922 koz
|
Total Resource
|
12,060 kt
|
Gold
|
4.6 g/t
|
1,798 koz
|
Total Resource
|
12,060 kt
|
Gold Equivalent
|
4.6 g/t
|
1,798 koz
|
Aerial view:
- Subscription is required.