(Ecofin Agency) - Last month, Robex Resources processed at its Nampala gold mine 55 000 tons of ore. This volume exceeds preliminary targets by about 35%. Average production at the plant, which runs on a 24/7 basis, with an availability rate of 80%, was about 1,800 tons per day.

The mine’s construction is currently at the final stage and the firm plans to reach a processing capacity of 4,000 tons/day. The company in charge of construction said the installation of larger mill, two additional CIL tanks, cyclone tower, all announced last year, was about to be completed and would be commissioned in a few days. 

Increasing tonnage will be possible by adding four CIL tanks, a ZADRA type elution system, not yet operational, and a mill. To this end, two thirds of a total of 1,200 ounces of ore mined through lixiviation were accumulated in a CIL tank for ulterior processing.

Nampala has 17.4 Mt of proven reserves on an exploitation licence that covers 5.32 km2. Given the importance of the project, Robex Resources wished to achieve 6,000t/day but due to some difficulties, financial mostly, that emerged since October, the firm had to bring its targets down.

Louis-Nino Kansoun