(MENAFN- ABN Newswire)
Wiluna Open Pit Mining Commences Perth, Oct 17, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Blackham Resources Limited ( <>
Highlights
- Wiluna open pit mining commences in free milling ore from surface
- Wiluna average ore grades higher than the Matilda ore
- In line with the mine plan adopted at the start of the year, the remaining open pits at Matilda will be mined concurrently with the Wiluna open pits for the rest of this financial year
- Processing of higher grade Wiluna ore will take place from Oct'18
- All the Wiluna open pits are located within 3kms of the plant, significantly lowering haulage costs
- Grade control and mining of free milling pits will significantly de-risk the larger sulphide pits prior to re-commissioning the sulphide circuit
Successful drilling programmes totalling 100,000m over the last 18 months have successfully delineated gold resources of 18.6Mt @ 2.52g/t for 1.50Moz. The free milling resources total 5.1Mt @ 1.43g/t for 236koz (96% indicated).
Drilling since Mar'18 has focused on targeting shallow free milling mineralisation close to plant. Generally, oxide and transitional ore in the top 60-80m has been oxidised and is free milling. Metallurgical results averaged leach recoveries on the oxide and transitional ores of 90.8% and 84.3% after 24 hours.
Wiluna open pit probable reserves as at 30 June 2017 were 669,000oz (7.7Mt @ 2.7g/t Au). Reserves for the Matilda-Wiluna Operation were last estimated as at 30 June 2017 and are currently being re-estimated.
Latest reserves for the Wiluna Open Pits are in the process of being finalised and will be published in the near future.
Recommencement of mining at the Wiluna Mine is expected to increase plant feed grade, reduce haulage costs and significantly reduces mine sequencing risks due to more mining areas. Mining of the Wiluna free milling pits will significantly reduce both geological and mining risks associated with the larger sulphide pits prior to recommissioning the Wiluna plants sulphide circuit.
To view tables and figures, please visit:
http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/2842367P
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