TMAC Resources Inc. recently placed an order with the Ballarat-based company, Gekko Systems, to design and build two surface modular Python plants followed by a concentrate treatment plant in Hope Bay, Canada. The project, located within the Arctic Circle, will be delivered in two stages over a two-year period with its completion of the 1000 tpd stage 1 plant estimated by the end of 2016.
Gekko’s innovative mineral processing solutions played an essential part in securing the TMAC project as they required a plant that is low energy, low height, easy to transport and install; all of which made the Gekko Systems modular plant a perfect fit. Further, the flowsheet design will ensure low operating costs and a strong focus on energy efficiency.
TMAC Resources Inc. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company that pursues responsible and economically sustainable exploration, development and mining of the Hope Bay Greenstone Belt in Nunavut, Canada.
As a result of Gekko’s involvement in this project, 40 new project-related positions will be created in Ballarat to assist Gekko’s team with each phase of this major project.
Major components of the plant design are:
- Three-stage crushing circuit and coarse grind to 212 micron using a Vertical Shaft Impactor (VSI) and ball mill
- Continuous gravity gold recovery in Gekko InLine Pressure Jigs
- Rougher and cleaner flotation
- Concentrate re grind with free gold recovery and batch intensive leaching
- Leaching with continuous InLine Leach Reactors
- Leach residue filtering to recover pregnant solution
- Cyanide destruction using the SO2/Air process
- 300,000 oz/yr capacity Gold recovery from solution using AuRIX® resin and Gekko’s G-REX columns
The modular plant has been designed to initially treat 1000 tonnes of mill feed per day and reach its maximum capacity of 2000 tonnes per day in early 2018.
The Minister for Industry, Energy and Resources, the Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, visited Gekko Systems’ Head Office in Ballarat on Monday 10th August to congratulate Gekko on this project.
