CPC Engineering has been appointed by ASX listed Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Ltd to complete the metallurgy and process plant component of the feasibility study for the Macraes gold-tungsten project.
The Macraes operation is New Zealand’s largest gold mine and is located 100 km by road north of Dunedin in the Otago region of the South Island. The complex comprises two mines, Macraes open pit – which has been operating since 1990, and the Frasers underground mine which was commissioned in early 2008.
CPC’s role will be to deliver to OceanaGold the process plant feasibility study which includes study management and cost and schedule estimation for new standalone gold and tungsten processing facilities.
Oceanagold Managing Director & CEO, Mick Wilkes said in April: “As previously announced Reefton will go on care and maintenance at the end of this year. The nature of the ore body means it will be difficult to mine the underground and an extension of the open pit would require a higher gold price. Notwithstanding, there is plenty of exploration potential and we will keep the plant in working order.
“Blackwater is close by and we conducted a successful scoping study on that last year. We will evaluate different mining options this year to reduce the project risk. It is a project that could be brought into production at a relatively low cost.
“The other growth opportunity in New Zealand is the gold with tungsten by-product project called Round Hill. We may reinvent Macraes as a gold/tungsten project as there are quite significant amounts of tungsten there. We’re well advanced on the flowsheet and will be conducting a scoping study shortly. So Macraes could go for an additional 10-12 years after the current plant closes down. So that’s exciting and we’re in discussions with several tungsten off-takers. We’re encouraged by those discussions.”
CPC Engineering Chief Executive Officer Glen Weir said “the award of this work to CPC is in part due to the ongoing relationship with OceanaGold. We have successfully executed other projects at the Macraes operation and have an intimate knowledge of the operating and regulatory requirements of the region. We are confident that the study will assist OceanaGold to add significant value and we look forward to making an important contribution to that outcome”.
CPC has recently completed the engineering and design services for First Quantum Minerals Enterprise nickel plant in Zambia and key project work at Sandfire Resource’s DeGrussa copper mine. CPC Engineering has also recently delivered the construction of the crusher circuit and mill building at the Tropicana gold mine some 300 km east of Kalgoorlie.
(This news was reported by IM Project News)
