Python
Modular processing plant either installed deep within mines or above ground
- The Python is an award-winning, environmentally conscious mining plant
- Consumer 75% less power than conventional recovery methods
- Can be adopted to suit specific operational needs
The Python is an award-winning, modular, ore-concentration plant. It’s cleverly designed to increase revenues, lower operating costs and deliver better environmental outcomes.
Installed above ground or deep within mines, the Python specialises in utilising energy-efficient comminution, gravity separation and flotation processes to reduce the ore to a coarse size, which reduces the downstream processing energy costs.
The resultant mineral-rich fraction, concentrated to 10-30% of the original mass, requires much less energy to be hauled to the surface, which drastically improves returns.
Gekko’s Python plant processes ore underground or above ground with massive energy cost savings.
A Proven Approach
Innovative modular components of the Python can fit neatly in a linear ‘snake-like’ workflow. Precisely engineered to a low footprint design, the compact Python can operate inside a mine, or as an aboveground plant. Only 2.3 metres wide and 5 metres tall, the slimline plant allows vehicles to pass safely and maximises available headspace for efficient ore processing when installed underground.
The Python saves energy by crushing ore to coarse particles. This material is then fed to a gravity separation circuit, such as the InLine Pressure Jig and/or flotation, to extract mineral-rich particles.
The Python significantly enhances mine efficiency and returns by installing it upstream of a conventional processing plant and pre-concentrating the ore. This results in huge savings when gangue is rejected ahead of downstream processing.
Potential Total Mine Cost Savings: 15 – 25%
High ROI is achieved when environment and life-of-mine costs are low. Pre-concentration by the Python is proven to:
- Reduce processing power costs – fine crushing is not required
- Reduce haulage energy costs by 70% – the concentrate is much smaller
- Reduce overall wear and tear of downstream equipment
- Lower ventilation requirements
- Improve waste disposal – gangue remains underground as backfill
- Protect the environment with efficient water use, improved air quality, less noise, less visual impact and better mine remediation
- Improve mine safety and work conditions
Award winning
The Python’s design excellence was recognised in 2010 when it received the prestigious Premier’s Design Award and Minerals Processing ‘Plant of the Year’ recognition.
Accelerated Cash Flow
The Python components are modular, and are ready-designed for efficient ore concentration. Rapid manufacturing, quick delivery and fast installation ensure immediate cash flow.
Environmental Benefits
The Python delivers efficient water use, improved air quality, less noise pollution and less visual impact compared to other plants. It offers better mine remediation with improved waste disposal.
Lower Power Consumption
The Python uses less than 10kWh/t of total process power. It consumes 75% less power than conventional recovery methods, such as crushing, milling and leaching.
Longer Life of Mine
The Python extends mine life by decreasing the ore deposit’s cut-off grade and by using less selective mining methods.
Flexible/Flexibility
The flexible modular components of the Python can be arranged and adapted to suit specific operational needs.
The Python achieves high-recovery, low-energy processing in a narrow, portable plant. The Python is well suited to gold mining and is also adaptable to other minerals that can be separated by gravity and/or flotation, such as diamonds, tin and coal.
How the Python Works
The Python concentrates more than 90% of the valuable deposit in a high mass pull concentrate (of 10 to 30% of the feed mass) using coarse and fine crushing, wet screening, continuous gravity concentration, flash or conventional flotation and water recycling.
The Python’s high recovery and efficiency are achieved by Gekko’s continuous gravity separation device, the InLine Pressure Jig.
Immediate Benefits
The Python shrinks a conventional processing plant to a size that can be operated underground and close to the deposit, or aboveground with a marked reduction in equipment footprint.
The Python saves millions in capital infrastructure investments compared to installing a conventional mine processing plant. The Python can be designed and built-to-order in approximately eight months, compared to two or more years; it requires approximately ten-fold less concrete foundations; and can be installed on-site in six weeks, rather than six months.
Gekko’s lean mining concepts and the Python aim to accelerate returns for mines that may lose commercial viability if they overcapitalise on infrastructure.
While the processing uptime is 80% compared to 95% for conventional plants, the massive upfront capital savings and time saved is remarkable.
Full-time remote technical support is available through Gekko’s 24/7 service packages, to improve uptime and handle operational and recovery issues.
Designed for Global Shipping
The Python modules are compact enough to be transported worldwide in 40ft shipping containers.
Such innovative design engineering means cost savings for customers, who will receive their Python plant to their site, ready for installation by Gekko’s mechanical and technical team.
Gekko oversees all transport, installation, commissioning, staff training and technical support of Python plants to ensure operational success.
The latest Python news
Mining companies look to innovation to assist in achieving future capital and operating productivity in difficult times
The worm has turned! No longer purely focused on volume production, productivity is now “king”. Difficult times encourage faster innovation by mining companies. We note a repeat of previous industry downturns – when times are tough, innovation occurs at its most rapid rate. We expect this trend to continue as the mining industry focuses on improving returns on operational cost and capital investment. We believe we have the answers for customers who require a new approach to achieve target financial returns.
Great Lab Results for Python Amenability Test Work
Gekko has recently continued its successful relationship with a Western Australian-based company by performing pre-concentration test work protocols on ore from their Eastern Goldfields region project. The test work conducted correlates with the Gekko Systems Python...
Gravity/Flotation test protocols
Gekko’s IPJ and flash flotation are processing methods which remove gold or other minerals from a comminution circuit. They are complementary technologies and in many cases have been used together to maximise gold recovery in size ranges at which they operate. The combination of flash flotation and continuous gravity recovery covers the full size range from 10μm up to millimetres sizes. (Dominy, Murphy, Gray, 2011).
The Python in 3D
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