Newcrest Lihir installs cyclone tower, associated pipework

NEWCREST Lihir has installed its Float Tails Leach Phase 2 Project cyclone tower and associated pipework.
It will recover cyanide soluble gold from the flotation Grade Gold and High Grade Gold flotation tails.
This is the first stage in the project.
The second is the installation of the Nutec Bickley kiln which is currently under construction. Superintendent of major projects Greg Bridge said the Cyclones and Neutralisation, Cyanide and Absorption (NCA1) kiln replacement upgrade projects cost US$19 million (K59 million).
“Previously, gold was lost through the flotation circuit. With the addition of the two cyclone clusters, we reduce our losses and increase our recover rate, subsequently increasing our gold production,” Bridge said.
Once commissioned, the cyclone will process flotation tails, separating the fine cyanide soluble gold to the cyclone overflow for leach in the Carbon in Leach (CIL)) circuit and using the excess capacity available in the circuit.
With the addition of the cyclones, coupled with the commissioning of the new kiln, the project is anticipated to provide production benefits worth up to $27 million per year, a payback of about eight months.
Newcrest Lihir’s business partner Downer Construction was contracted to build the cyclone tower.
Downer Construction Structural Mechanical and Piping Supervisor Richard Kuaru said constructing the cyclone tower was a positive experience for his team.
“As Papua New Guineans working on the project, the experience has given us great job satisfaction. We are also gaining more experience in building it from the ground up right to its completion stage. We are proud of our work in helping Newcrest in its business improvement projects,” Kuaru said.