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Processing

Mining Method and Processing

Côté Gold’s processing plant incorporates tried-and-tested technology integrated with novel uses of established processes.
36000 tpd

Ore processing capacity

Total recovered gold: 91.8%

Processing Flow Sheet

Image description: A diagram illustrating the flow of ore in the crushing stage of the processing flow sheet

1. Crushing

1. Crushing

A fleet of autonomous haulers feed the primary and secondary crushers. A 54 x 75 primary gyrator crusher, which crushes ore at an average rate of 2,143 t/hr, was selected based on volumetric throughput and power requirement.

1. Crushing

A fleet of autonomous haulers feed the primary and secondary crushers. A 54 x 75 primary gyrator crusher, which crushes ore at an average rate of 2,143 t/hr, was selected based on volumetric throughput and power requirement.

Image description: A diagram illustrating the flow of ore in the to and from the Course Ore Stockpile

2. Coarse Ore Stockpile

2. Coarse Ore Stockpile

Two days' of coarse ore is stockpiled to provide a consistent stream of ore for the high-pressure grinding rolls.

2. Coarse Ore Stockpile

Two days' worth of coarse ore is stockpiled to provide a consistent stream of ore for the high-pressure grinding rolls.

Image description: A diagram illustrating the flow of ore in and out of the high-pressure grinding rolls

3. High-Pressure Grinding Rolls

3. High-Pressure Grinding Rolls

To maximize uptime and throughput while also maintaining high energy and water consumption efficiency, high-pressure grinding rolls are employed before the ball and vertical mills. To further support uptime, one scalping screen is pulled out and replaced each month, while the circuit continues to run on two screens.

3. High-Pressure Grinding Rolls

To maximize uptime and throughput while also maintaining high energy and water consumption efficiency, high-pressure grinding rolls are employed before the ball and vertical mills. To further support uptime, one scalping screen is pulled out and replaced each month, while the circuit continues to run on two screens.

Image description: A diagram illustrating the flow of ore through the ball and vertical mills

4. Ball and Vertical Mills

4. Ball and Vertical Mills

The next step in comminution includes a ball mill followed by two vertical mills. The vertical mill redundancy allows for continued operations.

4. Ball and Vertical Mills

The next step in comminution includes a ball mill followed by two vertical mills. The vertical mill redundancy allows for continued operations.

Image description: A diagram illustrating the flow of ore through the gravity concentrate process.

5. Gravity Concentrate

5. Gravity Concentrate

An intensive cyanidation reactor processes high-grade gravity concentrate. Pregnant solution from the reactor is treated in a dedicated electrowinning cell. This process accounts for approximately 40% of gold recovery.

5. Gravity Concentrate

An intensive cyanidation reactor processes high-grade gravity concentrate. Pregnant solution from the reactor is treated in a dedicated electrowinning cell. This process accounts for approximately 40% of gold recovery.

Image description: A diagram illustrating the flow of ore through the leaching and carbon-in-pulp circuits

6. Carbon in Pulp

6. Carbon in Pulp

The remaining 60% of recovered gold is extracted through carbon in pulp (CIP), with approximately 30 hours of residence time in the leach tanks and 1.5 hours of residence time in the CIP circuit.

6. Carbon in Pulp

The remaining 60% of recovered gold is extracted through carbon in pulp (CIP), with approximately 30 hours of residence time in the leach tanks and 1.5 hours of residence time in the CIP circuit.

Image description: A diagram illustrating the flow of ore in the stripping and electrowinning process

7A. Stripping and Electrowinning

7A. Stripping and Electrowinning

Pressure Zadra elution is applied to the carbon stripping process for 16 hours, using two elution vessels with a capacity of 11.3 t each.

Four 3.5 m3 electrowinning cells are arranged in two lines of two. After electrowinning, the equate is recycled to elution as part of the carbon stripping process.

7A. Stripping and Electrowinning

Pressure Zadra elution is applied to the carbon stripping process for 16 hours, using two elution vessels with a capacity of 11.3 t each.

Four 3.5 m3 electrowinning cells are arranged in two lines of two. After electrowinning, the equate is recycled to elution as part of the carbon stripping process.

Image description: A diagram illustrating the flow of ore in the cyanide destruction process

7B. Cyanide Destruction

7B. Cyanide Destruction

Cyanide destruction takes place in two tanks in parallel with the addition of sulphur dioxide. Following cyanide destruction, overflow water from the tailings thickener is recycled back to the process-water tank, and the underflow solids are pumped to the tailings management facility.

7B. Cyanide Destruction

Cyanide destruction takes place in two tanks in parallel with the addition of sulphur dioxide. Following cyanide destruction, overflow water from the tailings thickener is recycled back to the process-water tank, and the underflow solids are pumped to the tailings management facility.