On Target For Q4 First Pour
Pure Gold Mining Inc. (TSX-V: PGM, LSE: PUR) reports good construction progress at its PureGold Red Lake Mine, located in Red Lake, Ontario, with the project on schedule for first pour in Q4, 2020.
Project Highlights to date include:
- Procurement of major equipment is now 94% complete
- Total of 1,285 metres of underground mine development completed. Advance rate 60% better than mine plan
- Initial access development to longhole stopes commenced
- Installed alimak in existing shaft to support dewatering and shaft rehabilitation
- Process plant prepared for installation of new equipment, with removal of legacy piping, pumps, motors, ball mill, gold room and pre-leach thickener
- Steel and concrete work modifications inside process plant for new ball mill, gravity circuit and construction of hydraulic backfill plant commenced Installed and occupied new buildings including administration, warehouse, and mine dry
- Recruited key operational team members including safety, mining, milling, and technical services, with bulk of operational management team now in place
- More than 145,000 hours without a lost time incident
Darin Labrenz, President and CEO, said construction, which commenced at the PureGold Red Lake Mine in late 2019, is well advanced with 45% of the capital expenditure committed. The company is fully funded to production, with first gold production planned for Q4 2020.
“We are now only months away from first gold pour at our new PureGold Mine, and our first step to building a long-life growth company in the heart of Red Lake, one of the world’s most prolific gold-producing camps,” Mr Labrenz said.
“”Our opportunity for value creation is tremendous: we are delivering our mine into a rising gold market, with the potential to benefit from a period of margin expansion unlike any we have seen in years. But we see this as just the beginning of establishing ourselves as Red Lake’s next senior producer.
“On the cusp of production, we believe we have only scratched the surface and we are already working towards the next phase of our growth with the initiation of an aggressive 18-month exploration program. We look forward to becoming Canada’s next gold mine and delivering on the strong organic growth platform that underpins our PureGold Red Lake Mine.”
As at June 19th, a total of 1,285 metres of underground development has been achieved. Underground development to date is advancing at a rate of eight metres per day compared to a feasibility planned advance of five metres per day.
Improved productivity, with development rates that are 60% better than plan, and a focus on main ramp development will open up more mining areas and drive deeper development more quickly. This will allow the Company to improve upon the feasibility mine plan by prioritising mining on higher grade stopes.
The company has commenced initial access development to the first longhole stopes and is now accessing ore on multiple sills. Underground development is expected to accelerate in July with the recruitment of the next team of mining crews.
Another significant new development underground is the installation of a three deck alimak in the shaft to support mine dewatering. Dewatering is now down to 311 metres below the shaft collar, progressing on schedule and well in advance of underground development.
Underground exploration and stope scale drilling is now underway, with infill drilling focused in areas targeted for the first two years of production. The underground drill program has been designed to convert resources to reserves and expand mineral resources in order to more closely define the stope geometry, further optimize and expand the near term mine plan.1
Process Plant:
Construction and modernisation of our process plant is progressing well. Electrical switchgear has been certified and overhead cranes have been commissioned and are being utilized for removal of old equipment and installation of new.
Numerous systems have been dismantled and removed to make way for new equipment, including all piping, pumps and motors, pre-leach thickener and all gold room components. In addition, the pre-existing ball mill has been removed, along with the original pedestals.
New concrete foundations have been designed and mill pedestals will soon be constructed in preparation for the arrival and installation of a new ball mill, which is scheduled to arrive in late August.
Steel work for the new gravity circuit, anticipated to arrive in July is now complete. Foundations and tanks for the new hydraulic backfill batch plant and cyanide detoxification circuit are well advanced.
Other Surface Infrastructure:
Construction continues to accelerate with more than 80 contractors now on site. New infrastructure established includes an administration complex, warehouse, mine dry and water treatment plant building. Road infrastructure has been improved and a mine rock management facility has been completed.
Equipment Procurement: Approximately 95% of major equipment procurement packages have been placed. Initial procurement packages have been delivered to site and significant equipment orders, including long-lead items and key processing equipment are in fabrication and are progressing on schedule, with delivery expected in the coming weeks. New mine equipment delivered to date includes four underground scoops, two jumbos, two haul trucks, two scissor lifts, multiple utility vehicles and an anfo loader.
