Horizon Minerals Limited has provided an update on mining and ore haulage from the first stage of its Boorara Gold Mine, located 10 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the Western Australian goldfields.
Boorara Stage 1 comprises free milling oxide and transitional material with grade control drilling completed in the north and in the central areas. Mining comprises three starter pits: Regal East, Regal West and Crown Jewel.
Mining recommenced at Boorara in early May 2020, with first ore mining occurring shortly thereafter from the Regal East pit. Both Regal east and west pits will be mined concurrently to enable efficient cycling of mining production and drill and blast activities. Mining of the Crown Jewel pit is expected to commence in the September quarter to provide an alternative dig location as the Regal pits advance.
Horizon has advised that a total movement of 232,000 BCM has been mined to date, with approximately 42,000 tonnes of oxide and transitional ore mined at a fully diluted grade of 1.4 grams per tonne of gold, in line with its reserve model estimates.
A higher than budgeted volume of free dig material has been mined to date reducing drill and blast costs, minimising dilution and improving mine productivity.
Ore haulage from the run of mine pad at Boorara is now headed to the Lakewood Mill, located 7 kilometres east of Boorara, with the first ore treatment scheduled to commence on Monday 13 July 2020.
The dedicated milling campaign will treat approximately 25,000 tonnes of ore over a two week period from the Regal East pit enabling detailed mine to mill grade reconciliations.
Detailed pit mapping is also being completed to improve geological understanding ahead of a global resource review to be completed as part of the consolidated Feasibility Study.
The company expects first gold production and revenue to occur in July 2020, with production continuing on a campaign basis through to January 2021.
Horizon’s Managing Director, Jon Price, said the site operations team and our contracting partners have done an excellent job with ore delivery ahead of schedule and grade meeting expectations.
“With first gold production and revenue expected in July, we look forward to completing this first stage of Boorara while progressing the Feasibility Study and re-commencing the large scale resource growth and new discovery drilling programs.”
