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How we debottlenecked throughput, increased gold recovery and saved water at an Australian mine
At an Australian gold mine, we improved their thickener throughput and underflow density, without increasing flocculant use, while reducing make-up water consumption.
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| Commodity | Gold |
| Technology | P-DUC Autodilution Mechanism E-Volute™ Feedwell |
| Application | Leach and Tailings Thickener Feed System Upgrades |
| Study type | Customer story |
| Country | Australia |
The project involved swapping duties of the leach feed thickener and tailings thickener. We also installed P-DUC powered autodilution mechanisms on both thickeners and an E-Volute™ feedwell on the tailings thickener. As a result:
- Thickener throughput rose from 1060 tph to 1160 tph.
- Leach feed thickener underflow density increased from 54% to 56% solids (w/w). This extends residence time in the CIL circuit, improving recovery without increasing the amount of ore mined.
- Tailings thickener underflow density increased from 54% to 57% solids (w/w), reducing the volume of water reporting to the tailings dam by 11%, and so lowering raw water draw. Less water is also lost to evaporation and seepage.
Overall, the upgrade resulted in a 9% increase in plant throughput – allowing for reduced fixed cost per ounce – while contributing to a more water-sustainable process.
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