Additional test work to further optimise bioleach sulphide treatment recoveries has commenced at Monument Mining’s Selinsing Gold Project in Malaysia. The work is being carried out in parallel with completing Intec and acid leaching alternatives and follows the filing of pre-feasibility study (PFS) results in an NI 43-101 Technical Report.
The PFS report prepared by Snowden Mining Consultants has focused on a biological treatment approach as an economically viable option for the company to maximise gold recovery from the sulphide material.
A total mineral reserve of 279,000 ounces of gold from 6.217 million tonnes of ore at a grade of 1.40 g/t gold is reported, including 60,000 ounces from 2.736 million tonnes of oxide ore at a grade of 0.68 g/t, which will support Monument’s next 18 to 24 months production in transition period.
Remaining sulphide ore will be processed primarily through an additional biological pre-treatment circuit planned to be added to the existing plant. Upon success of final design, in-house construction and commissioning, the upgraded plant will enable the company to continue gold production at Selinsing for a further estimated five years through to 2023 without further ore discovery.
The additional test work is aimed to confirm that the biological approach is suitable and the outcome could be further optimised to provide the highest recovery of gold, based on the results of the work to date undertaken by the company and the results achieved through independent consultants and third party laboratories, and therefore to provide a higher level of confidence with respect to gold recovery and enable robust capital and operating costs to be generated in comparison with the current PFS results.
The biological test work has been arranged through a biological/bacterial leaching specialised laboratory in South Africa. The remaining feedstock from the Buffalo Reef ore body used for the second Intec pilot campaign are representative and sufficient for the test work carried out under the control of independent specialists.
In parallel with the additional test work, Monument’s in-house R&D team is also considering innovative methods to further reduce capital and operating costs and thus enhance the economics of the project by all other avenues. An interim engineering design for the biological process plant has been completed by Monument that can be modified should test results require for delivery of a final engineered integrated sulphide process pre-treatment plant.
Monument Mining