Alba enters pre-blasting phase at Clogau

Alba Mineral Resources plc this week entered the pre-blasting phase in the Lower Llechfraith workings at Clogau-St David’s gold mine, north Wales.

MINING

A total 100m of cabling is being installed and a new pump lowered to No.4 level to complete dewatering of No.5 level.

“The new pump is a sludge pump with a high head capability allowing for a single lift to the clarifier tank in the Llechfraith mine yard before its discharge into the nearby watercourse pursuant to existing permissions,” said the company.

Further safety and access works on No.4 level are underway and, after No. 5 level dewatering, ladderways will be installed to allow access to No.5 level for blasting.

Once No.5 level is accessible, Alba and its contractors will conduct a further survey for any safety works needed before blasting.

Operations also include installation fans and vent ducting in levels 4 and 5 for ventilation to remove blasting fumes.                      

“Compressed air will be extended to No.4 level by the installation of about 40m of pipes linking to the existing air pipes located on No. 2 level,” added Alba. 

“Similarly, water pipes will be extended down to No.4 level.

“Once No.5 level has been dewatered, this will enable both air and water to be connected from 4 to 5 Level by means of flexible hoses.”

A 5-tonne capacity winch will be installed at the top of the Llechfraith shaft and another on No.4 level, together with shaft doors and signalling devices.

The company has chosen a mining contractor with blasting expected to take two to three months.

Operations will begin with drilling blast holes, loading them with explosives and detonating the blast, followed by ventilation to remove blast fumes; removal of the blasted rock or ‘mucking out’; and winching of the blasted rock to surface for sorting, storing and processing.

Each sequence of blasting is expected to allow the development to advance by just over 1 metre per blast, said Alba.

A revised schedule will see site mobilisation and preparation during June/July and blasting, ore removal and sorting from July to September.

Processing ore to gold concentrate before refining and smelting is still to be arranged.

The company expects to collect a bulk sample of approximately 300 tonnes, the processing of which could need an upgrade to the capacity of its pilot plant.

Elsewhere at the site, processing is now complete of all fines from waste tip trenches one and three, with 35kg of concentrates produced to date in the current programme.

Alba has also completed interpretation of surveys over Hafod Owen and Castell Carndochan in the wider Dolgellau gold exploration project.

In Western Australia, the company’s Andover West 30-day lithium option in West Pilbara has expired but discussions continue with the vendors.

HORSE HILL

Alba added it had noted UK Oil & Gas plc’s announcement on the Supreme Court’s “adverse decision” on the planning permission for the Horse Hill oil project near Gatwick Airport in Surrey.

Following several appeals against oil production at the site, the court ruled on 21 June that operator UKOG must include end-use burning emissions in its 2019 application.

Alba holds a 11.765% interest in the project.