Kinross Gold to build new tailings plant in Zimbabwe

International gold producer Kinross Gold (TSE) plans to build a $4.5-million tailings retreatment plant at its Blanket mine in Zimbabwe.

The 3,500 tonne-per-day (tpd) carbon-in-leach facility will be capable of treating 3,000 tpd of tailings and 500 tpd of fresh ore.

Scheduled to start operating in the second quarter of 1995, the plant will produce 16,375 oz. gold annually for four years at an operating cost of US$134 per oz. In addition, recoveries from the existing mill will be increased. The combination of these two factors should increase production at the Blanket mine by 18,200 oz. per year. Payback of the initial capital investment will be less than one year.

Once the plant is fully operational, Kinross plans to increase production to 1,000 tpd. To achieve this, a new US$6-million shaft will be constructed, financing for which will come from the cash flow generated by the tailings project.

Elsewhere, at the Hoyle Pond mine, near Timmins, Ont., infill drilling of the 1060 zone has been carried out to the 150-metre level and a drill-indicated resource is being calculated. During the course of drilling, 27 holes encountered a felsic porphyry intrusive containing gold mineralization. The porphyry appears to crosscut the eastern portion of the 1060 zone at a high angle and plunge to the northeast. Strongly altered zones of quartz veining and silicification (with minor sulphides) occur at, or near, the upper and lower contacts of the porphyry. Visible gold is common within the vein system, which extends up to 18 metres in core length. Minor amounts of native copper have also been observed.

Significant intersections include: 79.2 grams gold per tonne over 5.4 metres; 42.3 grams over 4.7 metres; and 17.3 grams gold over 12 metres. Drilling is continuing on the 1060 zone to evaluate further the extent of the porphyry zone.