|
Operations
Cracow
Cracow is owned jointly by Newcrest (70%) and Lion Selection Limited (30%).
| Ownership |
70% Newcrest / 30% Catalpa Resources |
| Location |
Central Queensland, Australia |
| Year commenced operations |
November 2004 |
| General Manager Operations |
Don Runge |
| Style of mineralization |
Epithermal |
| Contained metals |
Gold/silver |
| Resources* |
3.4Mt @ 6.6g/t Au for 0.7Moz (NCM’s 70% share) |
| Reserves* |
0.65Mt @ 7.7g/t Au for 0.2 Moz (NCM’s 70% share) |
| Mining method |
Underground-open stoping |
| Processing method |
Cyanide leach |
| Nominal treatment rate |
0.4 Mtpa |
| Product |
Bullion |
| Forecast mine life |
2014 |
|
* Per 30 June 2010 Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve statement.
Overview
The Cracow mine is located in central Queensland, Australia, approximately 4 kilometres from the township of Cracow and approximately 500 kilometres northwest of the city of Brisbane.
In 2002, joint venture participants approved development of the underground mine and refurbishment and upgrading of the existing treatment plant. Mine development commenced in December 2003 with first gold production in November 2004.
Newcrest manages the operation and exploration activities of the Cracow Joint Venture.
Geology
The gold mineralization occurs in steeply dipping low sulphidation epithermal fissure quartz veins. High-grade gold mineralization defined in the project resources occurs within five deposits (Royal Shoot, Crown Shoot, Sovereign Shoot, Klondike North and Kilkenny Shoot), each developed at the intersection of major structures. The Royal extends over a strike length of approximately 350 metres, the Crown is approximately 300 metres in strike length and the Sovereign has a strike length of 150 metres. The ore bodies average approximately 5 metres in width.
Mining
The underground orebodies are accessed from a decline and the open stoping mining method is used with concurrent waste backfilling. A small Newcrest mining team manages the contract mining operation.
Processing
Ore is processed by cyanide leach extraction in a conventional carbon-in-pulp processing circuit comprising leaching, adsorption, stripping and electrowinning to produce gold/silver doré bars.
Future Developments
Exploration around the project tenements indicates that additional mineralized vein structures exist in close proximity to the mine. The Phoenix, Empire, Stirling, Kilkenny, Klondyke and Rose's Pride structures provide opportunities for additional resources to extend the mine life. All of these structures have yielded drilling intercept grades in excess of 10g/t of gold.
Key production and cost data for Cracow is illustrated in the graphs below.
 |
