Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2026 |
Simberi is an open cut mining operation situated on the northern most island of the Tabar Group, in New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea.
An outcome of the Strategic Review of Simberi Operations was confirmation that the oxide mine life could extend to FY26. Focus areas for Simberi are the extension drilling to confirm mineralisation below the current pit outlines as well as conversion of mineralisation to be included in an update to our Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve in Q4 FY24. This information will be used to update the study work on the Sulphide Expansion Project and help inform the investment decision ahead of the Mining Lease renewal in FY28.
The Sulphide Expansion Project is expected to extend Simberi’s life by more than ten years. |
Source:
p. 85
Company | Interest | Ownership |
St Barbara Ltd.
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
Simberi Gold Co, Ltd.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
The Simberi Gold Project is 100% owned by the Simberi Gold Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of St Barbara Limited.
Contractors
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Summary:
The Simberi Gold Project is located on Simberi Island in the Tabar Islands Group situated in the New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG), approximately 80 km north-west of Lihir Island. Simberi is the oldest and northernmost island of the Tabar Group. It measures approximately 10 km east-west, 8 km north-south and rises to over 300 m above sea level. The currently known gold prospects (Sorowar, Pigiput, Pigibo, Botlu, Pigicow, Samat, Bekou and Monun Creek) on Simberi Island are located in the eastern half of the island within the central volcanic core. They are contained within a sub-cropping epithermal alteration system and structural corridor extending 4km north-south and 2km east-west. The host rocks for the mineralisation comprise Pliocene altered alkaline lava flows or intrusives (porphyries), volcaniclastics and tuffs.
Of the eight separate deposits, Pigiput in the south is by far the largest gold resource. Monun Creek is located immediately to the north-east of Pigiput, with Sorowar, the second largest resource, further north again. Pigibo, Botlu, Samat and Bekou lie to the west and south of Pigiput, and while relatively small, are relatively higher grade. All deposits lie within 2 to 3km of each other. Sorowar, Pigiput and Botlu are currently being mined via open pit methods.
Fine grained free gold in oxide material is the target of current operations. Within the sulphide zone gold is also fine grained (most grains are under 15 µm in diam ........

Summary:
Simberi is an open cut mining operation.
Of the eight separate deposits, Pigiput in the south is by far the largest gold resource. Monun Creek is located immediately to the north-east of Pigiput, with Sorowar, the second largest resource, further north again. Pigibo, Botlu, Samat and Bekou lie to the west and south of Pigiput, and while relatively small, are relatively higher grade. All deposits lie within 2 to 3km of each other. Sorowar, Pigiput and Botlu are currently being mined via open pit methods.
The mining method for all deposits is open pit, using 5 m flitches and 20 m benches. The principal pieces of digging equipment are four Hitachi 1200 excavators, matched with a mixed fleet of CAT 740 and BELL 50D articulated dump trucks.
All material within the marked out block, regardless of oxidation state, is delivered to ROM stockpiles, either at the Sorowar Feeder, for the rope conveyor, or to the Mill. The 365 tph rope conveyor from the Sorowar Feeder to the Mill ROM pad is an integral part of the mining process flow at Simberi; as is the downhill trucking that HBS conducts using Astra haul trucks to bring an additional 700 kt to 1 Mt per annum to the Mill ROM.
Aerial Rope Conveyor stretches from the mining areas to the processing plant over rugged terrain and utilises gravity as a power source.
Source:

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Source:
Summary:

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Production:
Commodity | Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Gold
|
oz
| ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | 134,661 | 116,044 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Ore tonnes mined
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 2,963 kt | 3,396 kt | 4,199 kt |
Annual processing capacity
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 3.5 Mt | 3.5 Mt | |
Waste
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 8,638 kt | | |
Total tonnes mined
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 11,601 kt | 12,345 kt | 13,610 kt |
Tonnes milled
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 3,314 kt | 3,072 kt | 3,586 kt |
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Ore Reserves Cut-off Grades: Simberi Oxide - 0.4 g/t Au.
Mineral Resources Cut-off Grades: Simberi Oxide - 0.4 g/t Au, Simberi Sulphide - 0.6 g/t Au.
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven & Probable
|
Stockpiles
|
710 kt
|
Gold
|
1.3 g/t
|
31 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
26,557 kt
|
Gold
|
2 g/t
|
1,680 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Oxide
|
7,579 kt
|
Gold
|
1.2 g/t
|
280 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Total
|
34,846 kt
|
Gold
|
1.8 g/t
|
1,991 koz
|
Measured
|
Sulphide
|
2,704 kt
|
Gold
|
1.5 g/t
|
133 koz
|
Measured
|
Oxide
|
2,501 kt
|
Gold
|
1.3 g/t
|
106 koz
|
Measured
|
Total
|
5,205 kt
|
Gold
|
1.4 g/t
|
239 koz
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
46,116 kt
|
Gold
|
1.6 g/t
|
2,417 koz
|
Indicated
|
Oxide
|
8,207 kt
|
Gold
|
1 g/t
|
275 koz
|
Indicated
|
Total
|
54,323 kt
|
Gold
|
1.5 g/t
|
2,692 koz
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
18,705 kt
|
Gold
|
1.5 g/t
|
884 koz
|
Inferred
|
Oxide
|
4,866 kt
|
Gold
|
1 g/t
|
160 koz
|
Inferred
|
Total
|
23,571 kt
|
Gold
|
1.4 g/t
|
1,044 koz
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide
|
67,524 kt
|
Gold
|
1.6 g/t
|
3,434 koz
|
Total Resource
|
Oxide
|
15,575 kt
|
Gold
|
1.1 g/t
|
541 koz
|
Total Resource
|
Total
|
83,099 kt
|
Gold
|
1.5 g/t
|
3,975 koz
|
Pipelines and Water Supply
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