news Ms. Lisa May reports
TRUE NORTH GEMS PROVIDES CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
True North Gems Inc. is providing a construction update for the Aappaluttoq ruby mine, southwest Greenland. Since the last update on Feb. 18, 2016, the company and its joint venture partner (LNS Group) have continued to make steady progress with development of the Aappaluttoq mine infrastructure.
Processing plant milestones:
- The company has completed installation of the processing plant structural steel framing for the weight-bearing equipment within the plant.
- All major heavy processing equipment items are now in place on the structural steel framing. Processing equipment installed includes the scrubber, sizing screens, dryer, oversize recovery conveyors, secondary cone crusher, dense media separation unit and the optical sorter. Installation of the electrical wiring and plumbing of the various pieces of processing equipment continues.
- Installation of the main drag chain conveyors is now complete; testing of the conveyors will commence once power supplies are fitted.
- The primary fresh water supply to the plant was installed in the lower lake basin with all pipework from the lake to the plant now complete. Electrical supply is currently being installed to ready the pumps and primary ring main systems for commissioning.
- Construction and installation of the processed ore waste pipe is currently in progress. This pipe leads from the plant into the upper lake basin where it will deposit negative 1.7 millimetres of processed ore waste in a stable state below the lake thermocline. The pipe is positioned on its foundations with all installation welding complete. Installation of the insulation and heat tracing is in progress.
- The construction of the security complex, locker/lunch room, electrical switch room and process plant control cenetre is still in progress. All walls are completed and activities are now focused on supplying independent heating, electrical and plumbing into the process building. The server rooms are installe; however, final installation of sensitive computer equipment will take place once all heavy engineering and construction has been completed in the rest of the main building.
Ground infrastructure
The remaining ground infrastructure required to be built by LNSG as part of its earn-in to the project is expected to be completed over the summer months when the ground is dry and final construction will be both cheaper and easier to complete. Specifically, this covers the remaining work to upgrade the site roads and the installation of the concrete pier to replace the current floating barge landing at the outer port.
Mine operations pit
The 2016 pit operations and extraction are currently in the planning stages for summer activity. Mining activity completed through to the end of February, 2016, provided an ore stockpile feed for the primary crusher of sufficient volume to complete the upcoming wet commissioning of the processing plant. Sufficient waste rock has been removed from the pit to provide near-immediate access to the orebody upon resumption of mining activity once the processing plant has been fully commissioned.
Nuuk facilities:
- The concentrate upgrading facility in Nuuk has now completed its final design and negotiation are in progress regarding a suitable building for retrofitting in Nuuk. Building design approvals from the Municipality of Nuuk have recently been granted.
- Final designs for the Nuuk rough ruby and pink sapphire sorting and grading facility have been completed, and the necessary equipment is currently being sourced and procured.
- The RubyTrack inventory and tracking software is currently undergoing final testing in Vancouver; specific equipment needs are currently being assessed and sourced prior to the implementation of field testing in Greenland.
Continued progress reports will be issued and updated images can be viewed in the our mine section under construction updates on the company's website.
Andrew J. Fagan, MSc, CGeol, FRSA, is a professional chartered geologist and the company's internal qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Fagan has reviewed the geological information provided to True North by LNS-Greenland and is responsible for the accuracy of this information as presented in this release. LNS-Greenland remains responsible for the supervision and construction of the process plant and its associated site infrastructure.
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