Canadian-based Lion One Metals is kicking off engineering and construction for the flotation circuit at the company’s wholly owned Tuvatu alkaline gold project in Fiji.
Chairman and president Walter Berukoff said Tuvatu is currently operating at the 300 tonne-per-day pilot plant level, but the project will help it double its plant design capacity to 600 t/d with the expansion occurring in stages. The first stage of expansion is the addition of a flotation circuit that includes a regrind mill for processing flotation concentrate to approximately P80 20 microns prior to feeding the pre-treatment and CIL circuits.
Metallurgical testing at the company’s metallurgical lab has revealed the addition of a flotation circuit can increase gold recoveries at Tuvatu by up to 10%. Gold recoveries at Tuvatu currently average between 80-83%.
At current, engineering of the concrete foundations of the flotation circuit has completed and construction preparation has begun. The steel and flotation plant equipment has also been ordered.
Construction is anticipated to be complete in in the fourth quarter of this year.
“Construction of the flotation circuit is a priority for Lion One. Upon completion of construction, the flotation circuit will provide immediate payback for the Company by increasing recoveries to over 90%. This is a significant increase in gold recoveries and further enhances the economics of the project,” Barukoff said.
Lion One Metals first established new operations at Tuvatu in late 2023. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu alkaline gold deposit, the underground gold mine, the pilot plant, and the assay lab.
Source: www.liononemetals.com