General Gold was discovered in quartz veins at Wiluna in 1896, and the
first lode was discovered in 1904. Since 1896, some 2.5 million
ounces of gold have been produced from the Wiluna area. The mining operations at Wiluna are 100 per cent owned by
Wiluna Gold Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wiluna
Mines Ltd. Oxide and sulphide gold ore is extracted by
conventional open pit mining techniques, and ran-of-mine ore is
processed through two separate circuits. The oxide circuit has a
capacity to treat 600 0(X) tonnes per annum and the sulphide
circuit has a capacity to treat 400 (XX) tonnes per annum.
Additional gold is won by dump leaching sub-grade oxidised ore
and by retreating of primary ore flotation tailings from previous
operations. Testwork carried out in 1990 indicated the viability of leaching
dumps of run-of-mine oxide ore, and in June 1991 Signet
Engineering of Perth, WA, was awarded an EPCM contract to
construct a nominal 2.5 million tonne dump leach facility, for a
total construction estimate of 51.75 million.