Polymetal to renew heap leaching at Omolonskaya 2017

08 Aug 2016
OOO Omolonskaya ZRK (OZRK, partof Polymetal) plans to resume gold production by heap leachingin 2017, and to produce 122 kg of gold and 445 kg of silver, said OGMC managing director Vladimir Bloshkin.
According to information provided by Business News Agency PRIME, the company began preparing for the second field in the heap leaching at Birkachan (first - was conserved after the fall of gold prices). “So far, weare preparing the base of the stack, and expect to start irrigationin 2017.We are planning to pour 800 thousand tons of ore.In the future we will build up a pace.”said Bloshkin tothe Magadanskaya Pravda.
Pioneer project on the use of heap leaching at Birikchan named Omolonskaya ZRKwas launched in 2009. Later, in order to improve efficiency,ore-preparation, crushing and screening plant, adsorptionplant, autonomous boiler room and storage pondwere built.
Omolonskaya ZRK produced 4.5 tons of gold and 109 tons of silverin 2015.
Polymetal Int registered in Jersey. Polymetal is a Russian company for the extraction of gold and silver with operations and development projects in Russia, Kazakhstan and Armenia. In 2015, gold production decreased by 9, to 861 thousand ounces (26.78 tons), while silver production increased by 12%, to 32.1 million ounces (998.42 tons). Total production of metals in terms of gold equivalent decreased by 3, to 1.267 million ounces.The production plan for 2016 is 1.26 million ounces of gold equivalent.
Polymetal completed the acquisition of TOO Orion Minerals, which owns the license for the deposit Komarovskoye with resources of about 43.5 tons of gold in Kazakhstan, from the TOO Kazzinc - a subsidiary of Glencore Plc.
“Komarovskoye is an excellent addition to our portfolio of existing businesses. We expect a significant increase in reserves after further exploration of the deposit, with the start of production planned for the 4th quarter of 2016.” said Vitaly Nesis, CEO of Polymetal.
Companies at the beginning of April signed an agreement, and the transaction was closed on August 1, 2016, after receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
The total consideration will be $100 million. In addition, the TOO Kazzinc will receive a deferred consideration in the amount not exceeding $80 million, which will be calculated on a quarterly basis and paid at the price of gold above $1,250/oz.
In accordance with the JORC Code (2012),the probable ore reserves are estimated at 14.2 million tons (average content of 2 g/t), containing 900 thousand ounces (28 tons) of gold. Mineral resources (in addition to the ore reserves) are estimated at 9.8 million tons of ore (content 2.2 g/t), containing 700 thousand ounces (22 tons) of gold.
Source: Economical Information Agency «PRIME» http://gold.1prime.ru