Trigon produces first copper concentrate at Kombat Mine
The viability of the copper deposits at the recently re-opened Kombat Mine was tested during the holidays when the Trigon Metals team completed the installation of filter presses, enabling them, for the first time, to run the full productions process from ore to concentrate. The first copper concentrate was produced a day before yearend on 30 December 2021.
The concentrate produced in the test run exceeded the expectations of management, demonstrating that the combination of new equipment from Xinhai and refurbished equipment from the historic operation, are operating well together.
The feed material for this initial production was sub-optimal lower grade ore, while grind size, residence times and reagent use are being optimized, but satisfactory copper grades were achieved approaching 20% copper and over 600 g/t silver, well ahead of expectation at this stage of start-up. Production continues, building up to first concentrate shipments by the end of this month, January 2022.
“Successful concentration of copper represents a major de-risking of the mine. A functioning mill is the primary technical hurdle in a mine’s operation, and that hurdle has been overcome at Kombat,” Jed Richardson, President and Chief Executive of Trigon said.
A declaration of full commercial production is forecast for March 2022, as the mine ramps up production and systems are optimized.
