The treatment plant at the Macraes Gold Project in
New
Zealand processes a carbonaceous, refractory
sulphide gold ore. Since its commissioning in 1990, there has been a programme
of continuous improvement of the plant, leading to higher recovery, increased
throughput and low operating costs. During this time, a number of processes for
treating both, or either, the preg-robbing carbonaceous fraction of the ore and
the refractory sulfide fraction have been evaluated, trialed and utilised. The
latest phase involves the installation by Minproc of plant utilising Newmont
Gold's Pressure Oxidation Technology, a process which is anticipated to mitigate
both problem factors when commissioned in 1999.