All Mirael Gold Fields operating mines pass through six stages in their lifetime circle.
About Our Process
From the discovery of buried minerals to reclaiming land after closure of a mine, our operations can sometimes span 30 years or even longer. This means we may conduct business in or near a community for decades, and even generations. Throughout that time, Newmont’s core values – safety, integrity, sustainability, responsibility and inclusion – give guidance to the actions of our employees and partners to ensure that we create value and improve lives through sustainable and responsible mining.
Before pursuing any new opportunity, we rigorously evaluate the geologic, biological, social, political, financial, infrastructure and cultural landscape in order to determine the viability and value of a project.
Our Global Supply Chain group plays a critical strategic and governance role throughout the life of a mine, ensuring that our network of local and global partners meet strict environmental, social, safety and ethical criteria to supply their goods and services in a manner that aligns with our vision and values.
We also proactively maintain our property, facilities and equipment at each stage of the lifecycle to ensure that our operations are safe, efficient and responsible. Properly managing and maintaining these mobile and fixed assets ensures that our business runs effectively and according to plan.
Follow along as we take a look at what happens throughout the life of a Mirael Gold Fields Mines.
- EXPLORATION
Gold exploring process is a complex, scientific and time consuming.
With the amount of discoveries leading to mine development, 10 percent of the world’s gold deposits contained enough gold to mine. Exploration is labor intensive, time consuming and capital intensive. Due to the prospect of Exploration it can last for years. It marks the first contact point with Mirael Gold Fields and the communities. These are interactions so very critical to shaping and sharping a positive relationship for the future.
Beginning an earlier attention to the environmental and social characteristics of an area through baseline studies and assessments is a very important step in identifying, predicting and assessing the type and scale of potential impacts and opportunities associated with our activities in the area. We make it possible in an early stage through our social and environmental baseline studies to account for seasonal and migration issues.
Conducting this survey and research also contribute to the collection of data from water resources, flora and fauna, ecosystems, socio-economic conditions and populations, community health, soil, air and geochemistry.
Our studies continue right through the Development and Design stage to collect data in order to help to identify alternative projects in our analysis.
- PROSPECTING
Exploring for Gold is a complex, scientific and time-consuming process.
The first step is prospecting. To enable explorer to work in the field, access land for essential discovery of deposits. Explores must recognize formal and informal owners to obtain permissions to enter onto prospective land. Once land the land is accessible and secured, relationship with community must be maintained throughout with effect communication during periods of inactivity and across multiple work groups, contractors and consultants. Mirael Gold Fields uses several prospecting methods to reduce the area of land to be explored:
- Evaluation of land’s geology
- Analysis of the geochemistry of soil sediment and water
- Commission airborne and geophysical surveys to record the response of electrical, magnetic and gravity measures in the crust below
- DRILLING
Exploration for gold is complex, scientific and time-consuming process.
If the geological, geophysical and geochemical data collected indicate a possibility of a deposit in a target are, step two can begin: drilling. Drilling help us evaluate the type and grade of minerals in the ground. As crews drill, they mark the exact location and depth of each sample taken. Samples are then sent to an accredited lab, which identifies the concentration of elements, including gold, within them.
- MODELING THE ORE BODY
Information on Assay from the lab is combined with geologic, geochemical and geophysical data in process known as geologic modeling of the ore body. Using information obtained from sampling, testing, mapping and observation, geologists use complex computer programing to create 3D models of what the underground mineral occurrence might look like. Geologic models are provided to resource model experts who statistically estimate the distribution of mainly gold and copper throughout the ore body.
Intensified drilling models are ultimately by mine engineers to determine mining methods optimum, mine size and schedule, and equipment requirements that will maximize the safety and efficiency of production. All of this will take place in the next mine lifecycle: development and design.
- DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN
Ascertaining whether to execute a prospective investment requires in-depth research and analysis.
Mirael Gold Fields team of professionals work to ascertain whether the prospective site can be safely operated in an environmentally sound, economically viable and socially responsible manner. Work plan for expanded activities take place during the design and development stage, with sufficient manpower on the ground to conduct studies on the common, technical and business elements required to move ahead into construction.
Precise Technical elements, such as asset management, geology and resource modelling, project engineering and metallurgical process planning, are all evaluated in order to determine the mining and process requirements of prospective sites. All of which is executed fully under consideration of the international, national, regional, and local laws and regulations, and alongside with Mirael Gold Fields own standards and commitments. A comprehensive review of business elements as such as human resource, insurance, legal, security, and health and safety also included in working process required to evaluate a project’s feasibility.
2 . Ascertaining whether to execute a prospective investment requires in-depth research and analysis.
SUSTAINABILITY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
When designing the mine, we must simultaneously partner with local stakeholders to design a sustainable path forward that takes into account a vision after the closure of the mining site operations.
Meaning open ears to listen to their input and prioritizing a joint initiative for developmental objectives together, while managing our organizational impacts at the same time.
Mirael Gold Fields in various ways and means engages this phase, that also involve public consultation activities driven by social and environmental impact analysis process. Progressing into mine construction doesn’t rely solely on Mirael Gold Fields decision. Rather it involves the local communities and government because without their agreement, the project cannot proceed.
2 . Ascertaining whether to execute a prospective investment requires in-depth research and analysis.
EXPLORATION/CONCEPTUAL
Describes the overall business cases of the project on high level financial model using benchmark data and risk assessments.
SCOPING
Finds the potential business options using refined benchmark data and updates the investment valuation model to identify success criteria and confirm a high-level business cases.
PRE-FEASIBILITY/FEASIBILITY
Inspect a wide range of options for the technical and economic viability of the mineral projects, taking account of the mine designs, production schedules, gold recoveries, plant design, labor and other operational expenses. The operational activities, social and regulatory factors are taken into account, financial, and, the risks and certainties are understood and accounted for mitigation plans are well place. Meaning a single business plan chosen can move forward the project into the next stage.
2 . Ascertaining whether to execute a prospective investment requires in-depth research and analysis.
DEFINITIVE FEASIBILITY STUDIES
Describes the scope, cost, design, production schedule and commercial terms to achieve the business case at sufficient detail for complete funding.
EXECUTION
Engineering, Procurement
and Construction integrated as set processes lead to actual mine construction. Firstly, the engineering contractor is hired to finish a thorough research-based engineering design. Follow by procurement which involves all necessary mining equipment and materials including, preparing a request for proposals, drawing the attention of qualified contractors to bid for the project and to ensure that the required materials and equipment are delivered in time and efficiently.
3 . CONSTRUCTION
MINE CONSTRUCTION CAN VARY CONSIDERABLY FROM PROJECT TO PROJECT BASE ON THEIR SCOPE AND COMPLEXITY.
Collaborative and honest stakeholder engagement to ensure the expectations require of all parties must align with continuous efforts from the site. With the economic certainty of an approved project, Mirael Gold Fields must begin to execute training programs and partnerships with non-governmental organization and government agencies to start off economic empowerment in the community.
Obtaining the required permits, capital investments and local stakeholder support, the construction project of the mine can begin.
3 . CONSTRUCTION
MINE DEVELOPMENT
The first step is prospecting. To enable explorer to work in the field, access land for essential discovery of deposits. Explores must recognize formal and informal owners to obtain permissions to enter onto prospective land. Once land the land is accessible and secured, relationship with community must be maintained throughout with effect communication during periods of inactivity and across multiple work groups, contractors and consultants. Mirael Gold Fields uses several prospecting methods to reduce the area of land to be explored:
- Transpotation facilities – power infrastructure
- Security, medical and emergency – fuel supply and storage
response facilities – vehicle storage and maintenance
- Ore handling, processing and mill – mine waste disposal facilities
sand facilities - Water management and wastewater
treatment plant
4 . PRODUCTION
Production stage can long, typically up to 30 years or longer, just a period in the mine’s lifecycle.
To operate a mine, there are stringent controls require to be used to prevent and manage environmental impacts. Mirael Gold Fields environmental system and control are develop to ensure all environmental considerations namely management, monitoring, maintenance, training and action plans are integrated within a framework as an integral part of the mining operations.
Production phase incorporates, Mirael Gold Fields, civil society, local stakeholders and government work together to implement community development programs to establish long term, sustainable socio-economic growth to enable the communities continue after mining operations cease. We commit ourselves to reclaim land and include stakeholders in closing plan.
All our heavy-duty equipment and machinery are managed with high level of discipline because they are used to ensure the safety, productivity and longevity of our vast mineral mining operations.
4 . ORE PROCESSING
Ore collected from open pits and underground operations are transported by trucks to processing operations. While some ore are stockpiled for onward processing. Other material that are no economic value are stored at rock storage areas.
4 . ORE PROCESSING
Mill processing is involved when ore contains higher grade of mineral content. Such process is as follows:
- Crushers and grinding mills are feed with ore to reduce the size of the ore particles and expose the mineral. Water is also added to turn the ore slurry.
- Slurry is sent to leaching tanks and cyanide solution is added to leach gold and silver. Carbon granules are added to the solution to attach the gold to the carbon. To enable pulling the gold from the solution.
- The gold is then strip from the carbon by washing it with caustic cyanide solution. The carbon is later recycled.
- Afterwards, we pump the gold bearing solution through electrowinning cells, in a process that uses an electric current to recover metals from the solution.
- After the ore has been processed and gold extracted, all leftover waste material must be disposed in an environmentally safe manner.
- The gold is then smelted.
- The liquid gold is poured in molds to form into dore bars. Dore bars are unrefined gold bullion bars containing 60 to 95 percent gold.
- Finally, we send the bars to refinery for further processing into pure gold.
5 . CLOSURE
Mirael Gold Fields closure stage of mine can be a time of transition for both the company and communities around the mine.
Our commitments ensure long-term environmental stability and leave a positive legacy for local communities. Mirael Gold Fields commitment defines developing unsegregated closure approaches. We take into account community interests while managing technical environmental challenges and reclaiming operated mine lands to make them useful for the communities.
5 . CLOSURE
Occupied lands by mine facilities are progressively reclaimed during the mine’s lifecycle.
Mirael Gold Fields Closure and Reclamation Team use a well develop system and approach to complete closure and reclamation plans, cost analysis and concurrent reclamation processes.
6 . POST-CLOSURE
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MANAGE THE PROPERTY WHICH MAY VERY FROM FIVE TO TEN YEARS.
The main purpose of this post-closure era is to ensure that all the reclaimed mine lands and its supporting systems, especially the water management system is working as developed.