Larvotto Resources has put the first ore through the crusher at the Hillgrove antimony mine, which it expects to become the world’s most important new source of the critical mineral.
The plant east of Armidale in northern New South Wales is being started up in stages, with crushed ore now sitting in the fine ore bin waiting to feed the grinding circuit. Ore from the Metz underground mine is being used for the work.
“The commencement of commissioning is a defining milestone for Larvotto and reflects the significant progress made over the past twelve months since the plant refurbishment started,” Larvotto Resources managing director Ron Heeks said.
Jaw crushing, closed-circuit secondary crushing and fine ore storage are all up and running. Once the fine ore bin fills, the circuit will run on waste rock for engineering use, which gives operators a run on the equipment while build contractor Interquip finishes the wet end of the plant.
Hillgrove is forecast to produce about 4900 tonnes of antimony and more than 40,000 ounces of gold a year over a seven-year mine life. First development ore reached surface stockpiles in May.
“Hillgrove will become Australia’s largest antimony producer, and with tungsten potential growing with multiple zones of mineralisation, the Company is leading the way for new Australian critical minerals production.”
Testwork on a tungsten concentrate is continuing, and the tungsten sits with the gold and antimony already in the reserve. Gold and antimony offtake is already in place.
Larvotto is also seeking approval from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to double the plant’s throughput from 250,000 tonnes a year to 500,000 tonnes and switch the site to dry-stack tailings.
“We also continue to have meaningful dialogue with the NSW State Government, Australian Federal Government and numerous foreign governments, as mid-stream refining of our concentrate presents a significant value add, while assisting the Company to play an even more important role in supplying antimony and tungsten into domestic and global markets.”