Business
Gold production to start
Gold production to start.
About this update from Ecr Minerals Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n Mercator Gold PLC\n19 September 2007\n\n\n\n\n MERCATOR GOLD PLC\n ('Mercator Gold' or the 'Company')\n\n\n GOLD PRODUCTION TO COMMENCE AT MEEKATHARRA\n\n INCREASE IN PROBABLE ORE RESERVES TO 504,000 OUNCES\n\n\n HIGHLIGHTS\n\n\n• Newly commissioned Meekatharra plant currently processing\nore at up to 150 tonnes per hour (tph).\n\n• First commercial gold pour within the next ten days with a\ntarget of 120,000oz of production in the first 12 months of operations.\n\n• 17% increase in Probable Ore Reserves to 504,000oz\n(previously 432,000oz).\n\n• Encouraging results from recent drilling at the newly\ndefined Euro Project with best results including 1m @ 94.3g/t, 3m @ 23.8g/t and\n10m @ 5.0g/t.\n\n• Highly experienced international exploration geologist,\nMark Csar, appointed as Exploration Manager.\n\n\nLONDON: 19 September 2007 - Mercator Gold PLC (AIM: MCR) is pleased to announce\nthat commissioning of the recently refurbished three million tonne per annum\n(mtpa) treatment plant at its 100%-owned Meekatharra Gold Operations in Western\nAustralia is nearing completion, with full commercial production scheduled to\ncommence within the next ten days.\n\n\n\nThe carbon-in-leach processing facility - located 15km south of Meekatharra,\nWestern Australia - is nearing a throughput level of 150 tonnes per hour (tph)\nin preparation for a planned first gold pour this week.\n\n\n\nMercator expects to produce approximately 120,000 ounces of gold in the first 12\nmonths of operations. The majority of initial production will come from the\nCompany's Surprise Open Pit access ramp, which comprises predominantly low grade\nore, whilst higher grades are expected once the open pit reaches the base of\nprevious mining.\n\n\n\nThe initial Surprise mining operation is based on a Probable mining reserve of\n827,000 tonnes at 2.35 grams per tonne (g/t) for 63,000 ounces. After Surprise,\nproduction will shift towards the Bluebird Pit, where a much larger reserve of\n1.7 million tonnes at 2.44 g/t for 133,000 ounces has been identified. The\ncombined ore from Surprise and Bluebird is expected to meet the first 18-20\nmonths of anticipated production with the focus then turning towards the\nCompany's underground mines.\n\n\n\nThe underground mines at Meekatharra include the Prohibition, Vivian-Consols and\nFatts-Mudlode ore bodies, which...