Overview
The Essakane Gold Mine in Burkina Faso operates a sophisticated carbon-in-leach (CIL) processing plant with two parallel production lines (Line A and Line B). The facility has undergone several expansions since its initial 9.0 Mt/a design capacity, now capable of processing over 11.7 Mt/a of blended ore (saprolite, transition, and fresh rock). The plant features a SABC grinding circuit, gravity concentration, and intensive cyanidation for optimal gold recovery.
Key Process Stages
- Crushing Circuit: Primary gyratory crusher + secondary cone crusher (MP1250) at 1,912 t/h capacity with double-deck vibrating screen
- Grinding Circuit (SABC): Two 9.1m×4.3m SAG mills (7 MW each) + two 6.1m×10.2m ball mills (7 MW each) with pebble crushers, achieving P80 of 125μm
- Gravity Concentration: Four centrifugal concentrators recovering ~45% of gold, with intensive cyanidation reactors
- CIL Circuit: Two parallel trains (Line A: 10 tanks, Line B: 8 tanks) of 16.56m×19.56m leach/CIL tanks with oxygen injection
- Gold Recovery: Carbon adsorption, acid wash, elution, electrowinning, and smelting to doré bars
- Tailings Management: Thickening and water recycling system with dedicated storage ponds
Critical Data
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Design Throughput | 11.7 Mt/a (blended ore) |
| Fresh Rock Capacity | 10.8 Mt/a |
| Grinding Energy | 6.0 kWh/t (saprolite) to 17.5 kWh/t (hard rock) |
| Plant Power Consumption | 35 MW (average) |
| Oxygen Plant Capacity | 15 t/day |
| Pre-leach Thickener | 50m diameter @ 50% solids |
Recent Upgrades
- Secondary crusher upgrade from MP1000 to MP1250
- New high-capacity primary screen installation
- Gravity circuit improvements with double-deck scalping screens (5mm/2mm)
- Pebble crusher modifications for bypass operation
- Cyclone underflow distribution system optimization
Reagent System
The plant utilizes sodium cyanide, lime, activated carbon, and various process chemicals including flocculants, anti-scalants, and smelting fluxes. Water management combines river water, pit dewatering, and extensive recycling from the tailings storage facility.
