Plant build was for a 4.0 MTPA rate.August rate annualized was...

Plant build was for a 4.0 MTPA rate.

August rate annualized was 4.8 MTPA ( so 20 % over nameplate)

they are hoping to debottleneck the plant the achieve 5.5 MTPA

which would be be a big ask imho

i assume they they are still currently on oxide ore predominantly, given the grade and the moisture issues. As they transition to fresh ore the mill power draw increases commensurately.do they have adequate spare installed power for that big an increase in tonnes ?

process plants generally built with some “ fat “ in them , but not
usually 35 %., as they are also built to a price.
Of course , it can be done, but may require more crushing capacity, more cil tanks, pebble crushers to assist Sag throughput , bigger cyclone feed and tails pumps, more in tank screenage etc etc.

(as as an aside, I worked on a plant in South America where the grade was 1.0 g/t . It was highly profitable . BUT -We were processing 15 MTPA. You need real scale at low grades. )

all the above expensive and time consuming.

if they can consistently stay at the 4.8 MTPA. As per August ,They have done well.

Grade is the issue, and delivery of tonnes from the mine.


Until they can put out reasonable forecasts that they actually achieve , the share price will flounder . The perception is that management does not have a good handle on things . Let’s hope Matt and Clinton can turn that around from now . Under promise and over achieve.