The processing facility rebuild, refurbishment and installation has progressed safely, efficiently and to plan, with the focus now turning from, electrical, mechanical, automation and wet commissioning to running the first ore through the plant.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Vertex has processed the first ore with the newly installed gravity gold plant.
- The plant processed ore to a gold concentrate with visible gold evident in concentrate (see Figure 5*).
- Installation of the Ore Sorter Module is well underway with completion anticipated early February.
- Plant commissioning is utilising the stockpiled gold ore located adjacent to the plant. This material will be the focus of initial production.
- Sale of first commercial gold anticipated in February.
- Vertex plant operators are working alongside the Gekko technical team to ensure a smooth handover from commissioning to full production.
- Key personnel and plant operators now onboarded.
- Gold refining agreement in place with ABC bullion who are located in Sydney, which is a 4 hour drive from site.
- Tails line and dry stack sand operation installed.
Vertex's Executive Chairman, Roger Jackson, said: "The ore commissioning of this project in under 12 months of releasing the PFS for the Reward Gold Mine is a tremendous achievement, and I commend the Gekko and the Vertex team on their efforts. The ore sorter, which is a separate module to the gravity plant, is also ahead of time and within budget, and is expected to be commissioned in early February. We are looking forward to running one of Australia's most unique and environmentally sympathetic gold plants.
This is a very small but high-tech gold plant that utilises ore sorting and gravity methods to process high grade gold without chemicals or a ball mill. It was a wonderful moment to see ore going through the crushing circuit and into the centrifugal concentrators, and within a few minutes to see visible gold in the concentrate produced. We now look forward to further optimising plant operation, training our operators and the move to commercial operating status with solid cash flow."
*To view photographs, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/6RBTL3VT
About Vertex Minerals Limited:
Vertex Minerals Limited (ASX:VTX) is an Australian based gold exploration company developing its advanced Hargraves and Hill End gold projects located in the highly prospective Eastern Lachlan Fold Belt of Central West NSW. Other Company assets include the Pride of Elvire gold project and Taylors Rock gold/nickel/lithium project both located in the Eastern Goldfields of WA. The focus of Vertex Minerals is to advance the commercial production of gold from its NSW projects embracing an ethical and environmentally sustainable approach.
Source:
Vertex Minerals Limited