SUMATRA Copper & Gold expected to start pouring gold at its Tembang Gold-Silver Project in South Sumatra by the end of September. The carbon-in-leach (CIL) process plant achieved practical completion in early September with waste material being fed into the facility eight weeks ahead of schedule.

The project team has handed the process plant over to operations while permission has been granted for discharge into the tailings storage facility pending issue of the final B3 waste permit.

Blasting has commenced at the underground and open pit mines under development following receipt of the final explosives permit. Achievement of these milestones brought forward the expected timing of the first gold pour to late September.

Portal access and ground support has been fully established at the flagship Belinau underground mine with blasting and decline development under way.

Pre-strip mining has commenced at the high grade Siamang deposit while de-watering and pre-strip blasting is under way at the Bujang pit. Blasting has also commenced at the Berenai open pit cut-back with ore continuing to be mined and stockpiled at the run-of-mine pad.

Sumatra’s managing director David Fowler says, “The construction and operations teams have been outstanding in successfully delivering the Tembang project to this point, ahead of schedule with good safety performance. We are also appreciative of the support provided by the local government, community and our suppliers who have worked with us to achieve this important outcome.

“The expected first gold pour in late September, eight weeks ahead of schedule, will herald a new era for our company and provide a significant boost to the local economy.”

The company has appointed a new general manager, Leonard Manurung. A mining engineer with an MBA, he has more than 20 years of resources experience and has held senior operational management roles in international companies, including PT Freeport Indonesia.

Significant advances have also been made to bolster and expand the company’s community engagement and community development initiative as well as strengthening the security team, systems and processes.

The company said in a statement on July 29 that the power station at the CIL plant was operational, the three motor control centres (MCC) had been energized and the complete crushing circuit had been operated without ore. Concrete works, steel fabrication and installation had been completed. The mechanical equipment installation was complete and SAG mill liners installed. The supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system was operating and being commissioned.