AMN - ZIMBABWE: Pickstone-Peerless plant progresses

Significant progress has been made with construction of the sulphide processing plant at Vast Resources’ Pickstone-Peerless gold mine in Zimbabwe. The plant forms part of an expansion project which will enable production from the high-grade sulphide pits in addition to the oxide pits currently being mined.

Vast, an AIM-listed mining company with interests in Romania and Zimbabwe, says the second primary mill is on site and has been installed on a plinth. The majority of the sulphide concentrating equipment is on site and a significant proportion is installed.

Construction is progressing on time and on budget with first sulphide production scheduled for Q3 2017.

There will be a 100% increase in installed primary milling capacity once the sulphide plant is commissioned, from 20,000 to 40,000 t/month. Mill grade is expected to increase from ~2.00 g/t Au to between 3.00 and 4.00g/t Au over a 6 to 9 month period as higher grade sulphide ore is mined and processed, resulting in a significant increase in production.

Vast says the foundations and bases for an additional five CIP/CIL tanks are being installed.

The custom milling facility will be commissioned imminently to process artisanal workers’ tributed production from proximal claims.

Roy Pitchford, Chief Executive of Vast, said: “Pickstone-Peerless continues to deliver impressive results. By utilising cash flow generated from production from the oxide cap zone of the mine, we are funding the expansion of the mine with the objective of doubling throughput and increasing the grade of ore by 50%-100% to up to 4.00g/t Au.

“Obviously, this would provide enormous upside and further enhance the performance of Pickstone-Peerless, which has produced an average of over 4150 ounces of gold per quarter over the past 12 months from the oxide cap alone.

“In addition to directing our efforts towards development of the sulphide plant, we have also been working with the artisanal miners operating on a tribute basis from the claims adjacent to Pickstone-Peerless. We see this as a natural and mutually beneficial relationship as the artisanal miners save on transport costs and gain immediate access to the free gold, whilst all of the residual gold is processed through Pickstone-Peerless’ CIP facilities.”

www.vastresourcesplc.com

News courtesy of International Mining