Build up capacity27 Jun 2024 17:31
They should reach capacity.
Based on what’s known- This is what 6 Cat777 dumpers can do;
They have 6 x Cat triple 7 dump trucks (100 tons carry). On a 24 hour operation, one will be in the workshop under repair or service, one awaiting minor spare bits in the field and one heading to and from the fuel point at any point in time. Take out shift changes, breaks and the odd driver not turning up. Gives an operational tonnage of 18 hours per day x the 3 dumpers in rotation. Travel to and from the loading area to the crusher should be no more than 20 mins plus 6 mins loading (4x 25 tons scoops from a Cat loading shovel) and 4 minutes dropping. So 3 dumpers carrying 100 ton each x 18 hours per day x 2 runs per hour =10,800tons of ore per day x 365 days per year= 3.942 million tons of ore at 2 grams of gold per ton average=7.884 million grams per year divided by (28.5 for grams per ounce) gives 276,631,000 ounces of gold per year. Take out foreseen and unforeseen stoppages. Takes you down to a gold production rate of about 145,000 to 185,000 ounces per year at Kouroussa.
Coming back to the mine build up. They should start running the triple 7’s during the day on two shifts for at least a month. Extending that to 24 hours for another month whilst integrating dumpers 5 and 6 after that.
Notes:- The Cat 777’s should be fed by 4 x Cat 25 ton loading shovels supported by 360 excavators stockpiling the blasted material and dozers clearing and tidying the area. The dozers and loading shovels will form and keep the roadways from the blast area to the crusher in good order. The biggest problem you have are spare parts, engineers and drivers falling asleep at the wheel of these 100 ton monsters. Usually they build aggregate bunds either side of the road ways to wake the drivers up if they go off course.