BARRICK Niugini Limited says its Porgera gold mine in Enga has sent its first shipment of the pyrite concentrate to smelters in Lingbao, China.
The vessel Macau Trader carried about 932 dry metric tonnes or about 1006 wet metric tonnes of the pyrite concentrate from the Lae port.
The concentrate export project cost around US$6.2 million (K17 million) to construct.
The exports would continue on a fortnightly basis to clients of American company Me-tallica Commodities Corporation and Swiss-owned Clive¬den Trading AG.
Barrick’s senior metallurgist Toke Kewe and concentrate export project manager Peter Colvin confirmed the shipment.
BNL has a 30-month to 36-month contracts with MCC and Cliveden subject to reviews every 12 months.
The export of a high-grade concentrate will allow stored low-grade concentrate to be reclaimed and processed through the autoclaves.
“Our aim is to produce and export four 23-tonne sea containers per day with a moisture con¬tent of less than 10 per cent,” Kewe said.
The concentrate export plant at the Porgera gold mine was commissioned last December. The first sea container of concentrate left Porgera site on December 31 on a truck.
BNL supply manager Rodney Hol¬mes was on hand to ensure the process proceeded safely and efficiently.
The Porgera Gold Mine is a large gold and silver mining operation in Enga.
It is located at the head of the Porgera Valley.
The mine is situated in the rain forest covered highlands at an altitude of 2200 to 2700 metres, in a region of high rainfall, landslides, and frequent earthquakes. Mine operations began around 1990.
The National / PMW