Member Info for Nedd

Hydrogen, your generalisation on the grades applicable to the viability of U/G and open pit mining are broadly correct. South African U/G gold mines will support that hypothesis.
However, there will be a lot of head scratching going on with Newcrest's mine planners as how best to mine the Hav. ore body, as the only way it is likely to work at an average grade at circa 2.4g/t is with high tonnage, massive open stopes. South African mines can't do that because they're mostly narrow vein deposits, and labour intensive to mine - so they require the higher gold grade.
Such high tonnage U/G mines exist - Rio's Palabora mine comes to mind (they use block caving, which suits copper ore) - which is being economically mined circa 0.6% Cu.
Other factors the Newcrest lads will be grappling with, are the potential infrastructure costs to move the required volume of ore from stope to process plant. Will it be hoisting via shaft; hauling or conveying via a decline? Whichever way, lots of pennies spent getting to where they want to be. The PFS should spell out the strategy.

Hydrogen, your generalisation on the grades applicable to the viability of U/G and open pit mining are broadly correct. South African U/G gold mines will support that hypothesis.
However, there will be a lot of head scratching going on with Newcrest's mine planners as how best to mine the Hav. ore body, as the only way it is likely to work at an average grade at circa 2.4g/t is with high tonnage, massive open stopes. South African mines can't do that because they're mostly narrow vein deposits, and labour intensive to mine - so they require the higher gold grade.
Such high tonnage U/G mines exist - Rio's Palabora mine comes to mind (they use block caving, which suits copper ore) - which is being economically mined circa 0.6% Cu.
Other factors the Newcrest lads will be grappling with, are the potential infrastructure costs to move the required volume of ore from stope to process plant. Will it be hoisting via shaft; hauling or conveying via a decline? Whichever way, lots of pennies spent getting to where they want to be. The PFS should spell out the strategy.

Does anyone know what similarity if any exists between the Telfer and Havieron ores? The deportment of the gold will be the primary concern of the metallurgists when designing the recovery circuit and how it will work in the Telfer plant.

Thanks Bamps for that short, bvut interesting article.

If the Au grade below 2,300m is right, it will be exploited.
Anglo's Western Deep Levels are mining (circa 8g/t) at plus 10,000ft. Access is via sub-vertical shafts. South African miners are the masters at moving men and equipment into the stopes. Multi level cages operating at winding speeds of 3,000ft/minute is how it's done. Yes it gets warm at this depth, but they have ventilation sorted.
As for rope length limits, I believe it's the Creighton Nickel mine in Sudbury district, Ontario, Canada that has one of the longest single winds- 9,000ft. Rope stretch at this depth is quite something.

In fill drilling is necessary to upgrade the resource in compliance with JORC and to be able to develop mining plans.
It is never likely to set the SP alight as so much is all ready known about Havieron geological structures, not to produce any major surprises.
That will happen when the results from the new areas, currently being drilled, roll in.

Todays results, in summary are 'Steady as she goes', and much as you would expect from in-fill drilling.
Describing them as 'Excellent', is not reflected by the reaction of SP, which has settled back to its recent levels.
PQ's comments and action is the right way to go.
Top up while you can.

Where in the mining world is there an underground mine taking out 0.75g/t ore and processing it. Short answer - none.
Forget that stuff, it's waste.
That said, I like the recent in-fill drill results.

Sorry, but I don't understand the point of these calculations Tom.
0.75g/t or 1.00g/t will only ever be mined if it's part of a high grade Cu or Co pod.

Hi Bamps, the mineralogical make up of the ore will be critical to the Met process. Metallurgists can employ lots of clever tricks when dealing with complex ores, which seemly will be necessary with the Havieron ore in order to maximise secondary mineral recoveries. (cobalt, possibly selenium etc) This will be the real gravy part of the operation. Optimum grind size for best liberation; possible re-grind of the concentrator tailings; what minerals are taken into solution during the leach process and so it goes on. Fascinating stuff for sure.

Hi LC, Yes - spent a good few years in copper mining and processing operations plus project engineering. Also been around a lot of gold mines in my time.

Correction Bamps21, 4104ppms is 0.41% . If it was 4.1% Co , then GGP would have a cobalt mine on their hands with gold and copper as credits! That said, 0.41% Co is an healthy grade and a highly valuable by product.
It's likely that any cobalt will be recovered before the gold is sent to the refinery, during the concentration process. If it's CIL they use to recover gold, then there will be little of anything coming back from the refinery. Most of the other by-products present will end up in the residue at the bottom EW tanks. This usually requires a dedicated plant specialising in the treatment of EW residues to recover anything else of interest.

Just been trying to update myself, but it’s not clear whether Pala are proceeding or not. Is the entire project a total car crash? Can anyone help me out? Scouring through previous company reports and speaking to folk close to the evolution of the project, it’s clear that our Aussie friends made some glaring errors and consequently failed dismally. That doesn’t help shareholders much, I know. Just so that you know, I’ve spent many years in the mining business. It would be useful to know the current starting point from a shareholders point of view.

Well remembered Fireball. That was a bunch of no nothings, who would have royally screwed up if they had been allowed. AB stopped their silly ideas.

Tripled in Zambia??? What's your source as my contacts tell me there's a surplus in the country.

$1850 per ton! Massive! Add in the value in the rest of the stuff - total must be headed for $4Billion. Jubilee must be licking their chops.

Didn't Jubilee confirm the BMR recoveries etc in glowing terms recently, which suggests to me that the process won't need to be changed fundamentally? You're mixing up reagents with sulphuric acid costs which we were told were approx. 50% of the operating costs. Here's a little maths test for all you guys. Work out the metal value (zinc, lead and vanadium) for every ton of tailings, starting with the wash plant deposit.

Leon seems smart - good at the PR stuff, but unless you know otherwise his talking (to whom?), IMO wasn't the factor in getting the licence back. BMR has ZEMA approval, and if he's that smart he would build the plant as approved and then modify it, not the other way round for obvious reasons.

Yep, a good question. Alikhani did very well of course, so much so that he returned �1m to BMR. In fairness, AB with JH's input proved the process and started construction. Like some of my fellow shareholders I was unconvinced with the Jubilee deal at the time, and IMO a substantial cash raise after ACI failed to come up with the readies last year would have been preferred.

AB must be funding his jollies from the Bingo hall, waiting for Jubilee to give the nod and the �1m placing to happen. We are where we are, but all I can see is a grand merger of BMR/Galileo/JML down the track.