Coral aims to double production at Robertson mine

Louis Wolfin, president, said the heap leach mine is now processing some 2,000 tons of ore per day following weather-related production curtailments in January and February. The mine poured its first gold bar in early November, and began life with proven and probable oxide reserves reported at 11 million tons grading 0.04 oz gold per ton.

With production now reaching between 200 to 300 oz gold per week from the Gold Quartz zone, the company’s expansion plans will rest primarily on the construction of a second heap leach facility.

According to David Arnold, Robertson mine manager, all permits are now in place to build the second operation which will include a leach pad with a 5-million ton capacity, measuring 2,200 by 1,000 ft. The new operation is expected to be producing gold in the fall of 1989 from the Triplet Gulch zone located approximately 3,000 ft southeast of the existing plant and leach pads.

Expansion plans also involve increasing the loading capacity of the existing pads on the Gold Quartz zone. By the end of 1989, the company is aiming to reach an annual production rate of 40,000 oz from the two zones.

Coral also reports that recent lab- scale screening tests indicate the ore may not require crushing before being loaded onto the leach pads, a development which “could provide significant reductions in the cost of production.” The company is now planning pilot scale tests to determine the success of concentrating and upgrading lower grade ore through screening rather than crushing.

Coral is also exploring an additional 40,000 acres of mineral prospects in the Battle Mountain and nearby Carlin regions.

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