Pantoro (ASX:PNR) reports that practical completion of construction of the new 1 million tonne per annum processing plant at its 50% owned Norseman Project has been achieved.
EPC contractor GR Engineering Services (ASX:GNG) has now completed construction on time and on budget at the project, located in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, the company notes.
Ore commissioning of the processing plant is underway, while mining activities at the Scotia Mining Centre and OK Underground Mine are ongoing with about 140,000 tonnes currently available for milling.
The Norseman Gold Project is located in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, at the southern end of the highly productive Norseman-Wiluna greenstone belt. The project lies approximately 725km east of Perth, 200 km south of Kalgoorlie, and 200 km north of Esperance.
Commenting on the works program, Pantoro Managing Director Paul Cmrlec said: “Achieving practical completion on time, and on budget is an outstanding result considering the recent cost increases and delays experienced across the wider industry.
“Achieving practical completion on time, and on budget is an outstanding result considering the recent cost increases and delays experienced across the wider industry”
I thank and congratulate the team at Pantoro for their substantial efforts to stay on track and hit the objective. I also commend the performance of GR Engineering in delivering the project.”
Pantoro announced the acquisition of 50% of the Norseman Gold Project in May 2019 and completion occurred on 9 July 2019. Pantoro is the manager of the unincorporated joint venture, and is responsible for defining and implementing work programs, and the day-to-day management of the operation.
Pantoro’s interest in the project is secured through industry standard security arrangements over the entire project tenure.
The current Mineral Resource is 4.7 million ounces of gold with an Ore Reserve of 900,000 ounces.
Many of the Mineral Resources defined to date remain open along strike and at depth, and many of the Mineral Resources have only been tested to shallow depths. In addition, there are numerous anomalies and mineralisation occurrences which are yet to be tested adequately to be placed into Mineral Resources, with a number of highly prospective targets already identified.
The project comprises a number of near-contiguous mining tenements, most of which are pre-1994 Mining Leases.
The tenure includes about 70 lineal kilometres of the highly prospective Norseman – Wiluna greenstone belt covering some 800km-square.
Historically, the Norseman Gold Project areas have produced over 5.5 million ounces of gold since operations began in 1935, and is one of, if not the highest grade fields within the Yilgarn Craton.
