We have made good progress with respect to re commissioning the Pine Cove mill....see below as of October 10...Mett tests were reported in July 2024 showing very high recovery rates, and a few follow ons were suggested.
It would appear that the main Pine Cove mill Re commissioning Requirements are Mechanical and electrical inspections and minor repairs which had already commenced as of October 10.
I don't know the time frame for sourcing of reagents and consumables but the rest have been completed other than what other stockpiled ore they may have found since then.
My quoted time frame was late November but have not checked for any recent updates .
I also don't know if any test runs on stockpiled ore have been carried out either..
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MARITIME INITIATES RE-COMMISSIONING PROGRAM AT THE PINE COVE MILL
Refurbishment work has begun at Maritime Resources Corp.'s Pine Cove mill in the Baie Verte mining district of Newfoundland and Labrador. Maritime acquired the Point Rousse project in 2023, including the Pine Cove gold processing plant and large capacity in-pit tailings storage facility. The plant operated until the first quarter of 2023 and has been on a care and maintenance program since then.
Highlights:
- Appointment of industry veteran Dwight Goudie as Pine Cove mill manager;
- Excavation and stockpiling of mineralized material is ongoing ahead of processing operations restart;
- Mechanical and electrical inspections, minor repairs have commenced;
- Sourcing of reagents and consumables, recruitment of key staff is under way;
- Two million cubic metres of water discharged from the tailings storage facility year to date.
Garett Macdonald, president and chief executive officer, comments: "With the closing of the $8-million rights offering in September, we are moving quickly to recommission the Pine Cove mill and return it to operating condition.
Our focus over the next several months is to begin processing the mineralized stockpile inventory, providing cash flow and an important springboard for the development of our fully permitted Hammerdown gold project."
Pine Cove mill
A comprehensive program of equipment upgrades and inspections are now under way throughout the processing plant, focusing on all electrical and mechanical systems to ensure a safe start up.
Maritime's care and maintenance team is working with industry consultants and local contractors to complete the work at the plant over the next two months.
Maritime has begun sourcing the necessary reagents and minor equipment to support processing operations later this year. Recruitment of key staff is also under way.
Mill manager appointment
Maritime is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Goudie as mill manager for the company. Mr. Goudie is a resident of the Baie Verte mining district and has over 40 years of combined mill maintenance, plant construction and mineral processing experience, from Western Canada's Tumbler Ridge region, and in more recent years operating process plants for FireFly Metals Ltd. (previously Rambler Metals and Mining Ltd.).
Mineralized stockpiles
Mineralized material from around the process plant and mill yard is being stockpiled near the facility while completing additional sampling of the area.
Gold-bearing material from tailings storage facility No. 2 (TSF2) has been excavated and hauled to the stockpile yard. Maritime has identified approximately 85,000 to 115,000 tonnes of stockpiled and tailings material grading approximately 1.1 grams per tonne gold for approximately 3,000 to 4,000 ounces of contained gold (June 6, 2024, news release). The potential quantity and grade are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource.
It is uncertain whether further exploration would result in the stockpiled and tailings material being delineated as a mineral resource.
Tonnages were estimated from surveyed volumes of the stockpile and tailings areas applying bulk density factors of two tonnes per cubic metre for compacted stockpile material and 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre for screened fines material. Grades were estimated from assay results of the 677 samples that were collected and were in line with the grades processed by previous operators.
Tailings storage facility
Maritime continues to prepare the Pine Cove pit tailings impoundment area for future tailings disposal.
Dewatering activities have been ongoing throughout the year with approximately two million cubic metres of environmentally compliant water discharge year to date.
This has resulted in a water level reduction of over 14 metres (m) since acquiring the asset in August, 2023, positioning the operation well for future tailings and water management.
The first tailings storage facility supporting former operations at Pine Cove, TSF1, contains inert tailings and is located adjacent to the site office complex.
Maritime is currently working with Shoreline Aggregates Inc. to schedule the beginning of reclamation work of this area in the fourth quarter of 2024.
As we continue to strengthen our partnership with Shoreline at Pine Cove, both parties continue to realize the mutual benefits of operating on one site.
Having a company with heavy equipment and a skilled work force operating at our site means that we are able to find creative and cost effective arrangements to execute work such as this," added Perry Blanchard, vice-president of environment and sustainability.
TSF2, also used for inert tailings storage during past operations, is being repurposed in support of Shoreline's wash plant operations.
Under the direction of the facility's engineer of record, Knight Piesold, TSF2 will be used for recycling of wash plant water and capture and removal of fines during Shoreline's aggregate production.
Construction work is near completion and the facility will be ready for Shoreline's operations in 2025. Fines containing gold which are captured in this facility will be recovered and processed in the Pine Cove mill.