By designing comminution circuits for mineral liberation rather than the final recovery process and by using high mass pull gravity recovery, the concept of underground processing has become a reality. Gekko has found that many ores respond favourably to fine crushing with either high pressure grinding rolls or vertical shaft impactors which when combined with the InLine Pressure Jig gravity separator and coarse flotation results in a narrow, low-head, compact processing plant that can be sensibly fitted in existing underground openings. The focus on fine crushing reduces the power requirements of the plant to approximately 5 kWh/t for a capacity of up to 20 t/h run of mine ore feed. The use of water recycle systems places no extra load on the mine's normal water handling system. Gekko's underground processing plant, the Python', has been designed to be towed down the decline or lowered down a shaft and is capable of being installed in sloping, non-linear drives for placement close to the working face. The overall benefit to mining companies of this concept has been estimated to be a significant operating cost-saving, lower cut-off grade and a significantly smaller environmental footprint._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Hughes, T and Cormack, G, 2008. Potential benefits of underground processing for the gold sector - conceptual process design and cost benefits, in Proceedings First International Future Mining Conference and Exhibition 2008, pp 135-142 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).