Tropicana

The Tropicana open pit gold mining operation, located at the western edge of the Great Victoria Desert, 330 kilometres north east of Kalgoorlie- Boulder in Western Australia, began production on September 26, 2013, well ahead of schedule and within budget. The mine is owned as joint venture operation between South African based gold miner AngloGold Ashanti Australia Limited (70 percent) and Independence Group NL (30 percent).

Tropicana Processing Plant to be in Full Production Within Three Months
It had earlier been forecast that the Tropicana Mine would begin production during the last quarter of 2013 but with the earlier start than expected, the joint venture partners are now looking forward to the mine processing plant ramping up to process its designed capacity of 5.5 million tonnes of gold bearing ore within three months.

Macmahon Contractors win 10 Year Contract to Operate the Tropicana Mine
The joint partners have awarded a 10 year contract to operate the new mine to Macmahon Contractors. The contract gives Macmahon responsibility for ongoing mine planning, drilling and blasting as well as loading and hauling, the operation of the crusher feed and all other associated works. Open cut production is expected to reach its peak of 60 million tonnes in about 12 months. Macmahon Contractors will continue with supplying the mining fleet, infrastructure and minor equipment over the next three years. The operation will be utilising large hydraulic excavators and a fleet of trucks with 240 tonne capacity.

Tropicana Mine Tenements Cover 13,480 Square Kilometres
The Tropicana project employed around 250 people, with a focus on employing indigenous sub-contractors wherever possible, with special emphasis being placed on upholding the wellbeing of local indigenous communities, particularly in the provision of social benefits. This cooperation will continue during the life of the mine which is expected to be at least 10 years with the potential to have this extended as further exploration programs are completed. The lease tenements on which the operation is being carried out covers 13,480 square kilometres stretching more than 300 kilometres along the western edge of the Great Victoria Desert.

Open Pit Mining at Tropicana Began With the Havana Starter pit
The Tropicana Project was approved to go ahead by both joint venture partners in late 2010, about the same time they received Federal and State government environmental approval. Work on building the gold processing plant began in 2011 after a 220 kilometre road was constructed to the site from Pinjin. Open pit mining began at the Havana Starter Pit in mid 2012 with the main operation based on the Tropicana, Havana and Boston Shaker deposits. The viability of developing an underground mine at Havana Deeps is expected to be finalised at the end of 2013.

Tropicana Gold Treatment Plant Designed to be Water and Energy Efficient
The gold processing plant at the Tropicana Mine has been designed to be both energy and water efficient containing a comminution circuit comprising a two stage crusher with high pressure grinding rolls and ball milling. This is followed up with a carbon-in-leach (CIL) circuit for the actual gold recovery.

Gold bearing ore reserves at the Tropicana Mine at the end of 2011 stood at 56.4 million tonnes grading at 2.16 grams a tonne of gold that will return 3.91 ounces. The total resource stood at 88.3 million tonnes grading at 2.26 grams a tonne delivering 6.41 million ounces of gold. The inferred resource was 10.6 million tonnes at 3.56 grams a tonne for 1.21 million ounces.
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