Operations at Jerritt Canyon mill were temporarily interrupted following an electrical fire at the primary crushing building on December 19; operations are expected to be back online this month. The company consequently revised year-end production guidance to 138,000 gold oz, down from 145,000 oz.
Veris Gold officials announced significant production increases in a November toll milling update for its three Jerritt Canyon gold mines and processing plant in Elko County, Nevada. Veris CEO François Marland was pleased with the significant results over October “considering we toll-milled third-party ore for 43% of the month — this clearly demonstrates continued optimization of assets.”
Through the month, the mill processed 110,378 tons, averaging more than 3,600 tons via the roasters per operating day, while producing about 8,300 oz gold from Jerritt Canyon ore and more than 3,400 oz gold produced from third-party ore.
The SSX-Steer mine produced more than 23,000 tons containing some 4,400 oz gold, averaging 760 tons per day (t/d), an increase of 15% over 20,000 tons of October’s production, according to company officials.
The Smith mine, meanwhile, produced more than 51,000 tons containing 7,500 oz gold averaging 1,700 t/d. This included 14,900 tons of lower-grade material the company will stockpile at its roaster. Starvation Canyon mined 31,000 tons, containing an estimated 7,600 oz gold for an average of more than 1,000 t/d.
The Jerritt Canyon mill, processed 59,500 tons of ore, averaging 3,800 t/d and operating at more than 5,000 t/d for several days; recovery rates averaged 86% with an average processed grade of 0.16 oz per ton. In addition, Veris toll-milled 50,800 tons of Newmont ore over 14 days in November, at an average of more than 3,600 t/d.
