The GPM Gold Operation has been employing an Albion Process plant at its Sotk (Zod) gold mine in Armenia since 2014.
Long term data from the operation is now being published for the first time.
The data presented includes concentrate throughput, as feed to the Albion Process plant (tonnes per day), sulphur grade in concentrate (% S), total sulphide sulphur oxidation in the Albion Process plant (% SOx) and gold recovery from Albion Process plant residues (%).
The data provides a basis for evaluation of the effectiveness of the commissioning, ramp up and operation of the Albion Process plant.
Notwithstanding the impact of a slower concentrator commissioning than expected, the plant demonstrates Series 1 behaviour on McNulty ramp up curves, indicating successful commissioning and fast ramp up.
Interrogation of the data and operational experience indicates that this successful operation is a result of a process that is flexible, robust and stable, one that was designed well based on solid testwork results and pilot plant trials during the study phase undertaken by Glencore Technology and Core Resources, and where the local operators were provided with appropriate training in operation of the plant.
CITATION:Voigt, P, Walker, D, Kloiber-Deane, O and Tsvetkov, A, 2018. Ramp-up and long-term performance of the Albion Process plant at GeoProMining Gold Armenia, in Proceedings 14th AusIMM Mill Operators' Conference 2018, pp 339-350 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).