This technical report describes the Suzdal gold mine processing facilities, including crushing, grinding, flotation, BIOX, CCD, neutralisation, and CIL circuits, with historical production data and laboratory testwork results.
Report context
This NI 43-101 technical report for the Suzdal Project, Kazakhstan, was dated September 2012. The report provides a comprehensive description of the Suzdal gold mine, including mineral processing and metallurgical testing, based on information available at that time.
Processing route
Stockpile and Crushing
The process description covers material handling from stockpile through crushing. Ore is received and stockpiled prior to being fed into the crushing circuit.
Grinding
Crushed ore is fed into the grinding circuit, where it is reduced in size for further processing.
Flotation
The ground material is processed through a flotation circuit to concentrate gold-bearing sulphide minerals.
BIOX Plant
Concentrate from flotation is treated in the BIOX plant, a biological oxidation process that breaks down sulphide minerals to liberate gold. The BIOX circuit uses bacteria to oxidise the sulphide matrix, rendering the gold accessible for subsequent cyanidation.
Counter Current Decantation (CCD)
Following BIOX treatment, the slurry passes through a counter current decantation circuit, where wash water is used to separate the solids from the pregnant solution in a series of thickeners.
Neutralisation
The CCD overflow solution is directed to the neutralisation circuit, where pH is adjusted prior to gold recovery.
Carbon in Leach (CIL)
Neutralised solution is processed through a carbon in leach circuit, where gold is dissolved by cyanide and adsorbed onto activated carbon.
Desorption and Electrowinning
Gold-loaded carbon from CIL is treated in the desorption and electrowinning section to produce gold doré bars.
Labour and Consumables
The report notes that process plant labour and consumables are part of the operating requirements for the recovery methods.
Key reported parameters
| Parameter | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Process plant status | Continuous operation | Historical operating data |
| Crushing circuit | Stockpile and crushing | Design description |
| Grinding circuit | Conventional grinding | Design description |
| Flotation circuit | Sulphide concentrate production | Design description |
| BIOX treatment | Biological oxidation of concentrate | Design description |
| CCD circuit | Counter current decantation | Design description |
| Neutralisation circuit | pH adjustment | Design description |
| CIL circuit | Carbon in leach | Design description |
| Desorption/electrowinning | Gold doré production | Design description |
| Metallurgical laboratory | On-site laboratory capability | Report description |
| Assay laboratory | On-site assaying capability | Report description |
| Technical Control Department (OTK) | Quality control function | Report description |
Project website: https://nordgold.com/biodiversity/suzdal/
Technical qualifications
The processing information in this report is based on the existing plant design description and historical production data as of September 2012. The report does not include independent verification of metallurgical testwork results or process performance beyond the laboratory testwork section referenced. Specific process performance data, recovery rates, throughput capacities, and detailed metallurgical balances are not provided in the processing sections available. The mineral processing and metallurgical testing information is contained in Section 13 of the original report, which references laboratory testwork without presenting full results.
Source: The Suzdal Project, Kazakhstan, NI 43-101 Technical Report, September 2012, Sections 17 Recovery Methods and 13 Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing.
