Heron Resources Ltd. awarded two contracts for supplying equipment and mining services for the reclamation of tailings for reprocessing at its Woodlawn zinc-copper project in New South Wales, Australia, which is currently under construction and due to commence commissioning at the end of 2018. The Woodlawn Project includes both reprocessing of 9.5 million metric tons (mt) of historic tailings from the previous operations (1978-1998), in addition to the processing of fresh ore from underground mining.
Heron’s tailings reprocessing operation includes reclamation by hydraulic mining reclamation; using an IsaMill for fine grinding; and sequential differential flotation of copper, lead and zinc to concentrates. The mining reclamation rates for the tailings ore will be at a rate of 190 mt per hour (mt/h) using remote-controlled water cannons. Heron has contracted with National Pump & Energy Pty Ltd. (NPE), one of Australia’s leading pumping equipment providers for the hydraulic mining equipment. NPE will provide a complete package consisting of main and standby track-mounted, remote-controlled water monitors; water delivery pumps; slurry pumps; screens; and associated infrastructure including strategic spares and consumables.
Alongside NPE, Heron has awarded a mining services contract to Paragon Tailings Australia Pty Ltd. to provide process design, mining planning, construction supervision and support, operator training and personnel to support the tailings reclamation operations. Formed in 2016, Paragon has a track record in hydraulic mining both internationally and within Australia, with the principals having more than 30 years of operational experience with this form of mining.
