Detailed Engineering
CDMS in collaboration with its sister company, METS Engineering completed detailed engineering on the Casposo Gold-Silver Mine. It included metallurgical services and test work, sourcing suitable second hand equipment transportation and re-assembly, planning and design for construction of new equipment required for the Merrill Crowe process and preparation and planning for the construction of a power grid on site. CDMS key initiatives also included the cyanide destruction circuit and dry tailings disposal facilities. For further details on services provided on Major Projects by CDMS please contact the CDMS team on (+61 8) 9421 9060 or email us at info@cdmsengineering.com.
Project Brief
Outcome
- Reduced CAPEX delivery
- Faster project timeframe
- Flagship project generating profits
- Excellent long term prospects
Background
Troy Resources NL is a dual-listed company on the Australian and Toronto Stock Exchanges (code: TRY). It is a junior gold producer with operations at Andorinhas in Para State, Brazil and Casposo in San Juan Province, Argentina. The Company has forged a proven record of fasttrack mine development, low cost operations, strategic acquisitions and exploration discoveries. The project is high in the Andes and the cold weather proved challenging.
Project Objectives
The Casposo Project is the Company’s newest asset and comprises a system of epithermal veins.The objective in engaging CDMS was to assist in project development to deliver a mineral processing pathway to take the project into operation with a low CAPEX. Troy undertook the Project Management and subcontractors on site.
Challenges
As with many resource projects, the Casposo project had capital costs that appeared to be prohibitive. In addition the ore presents with high clay content. The numbers developed by the previous owners assumed a new process plant, designed using the original test results. The challenge for METS was to develop an innovative process and re-develop the project with a reduction of CAPEX in mind to improve the project’s fundamental economics.
Our Approach
CDMS managed a detailed test work campaign using all the available samples. The test work interpretation was submitted to Troy. Careful analysis of the capabilities of the existing equipment was performed. New equipment was designed and purchased to fulfil the requirements of the redesigned process. Suitable second hand equipment was used
from the Burdekin project and purchased in North America. Other deliverables included process flowsheets, process design criteria, equipment lists, equipment data sheets and sizing, P&IDs, process control philosophy, CAPEX, OPEX and a state of the art Emmerson process control system.
