Plans call for the ore to be placed directly on to heap-leach pads, uncrushed, with gold-laden carbon from the heap-leach circuit shipped to Newmont’s Lone Tree mine, 15 miles to the north, for stripping.
Trenton Canyon will be run as one of several satellite deposits of Lone Tree. The first such satellite, North Peak, entered production a few years ago.
New operating permits have allowed Newmont both to expand the North Peak pit and begin mining at Trenton Canyon. The company has spent the winter months building haulage and access roads at the latter.
Trenton Canyon contains reserves of 5.1 million tons grading 0.039 oz. per ton, equivalent to 202,400 oz. gold; North Peak contains 955,000 tons at 0.021 oz. gold, or 20,000 oz.; and a third deposit, Valmy, has 10.8 million tons at 0.022 oz. gold, or 236,000 oz.
Gold recovery from heap leaching is projected at 73%.
These satellite deposits are expected to offset falling production at the Lone Tree mine, adding 50,000-70,000 oz. annually over the next six years. Cash costs are expected to average US$200 per oz.
Meanwhile, Newmont plans to develop a heap-leach mine in Indonesia, at the producing Minahasa gold mine on Sulawesi Island.
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