Heap leach mining is relatively unfamiliar in Australia, as most domestic gold deposits are processed using the more common carbon-in-leach process. In some cases, heap leaching offers an advantage in transforming lower-grade ore bodies into economical deposits.
The method usually offers lower upfront capital costs and ongoing operational costs, along with a reduced environmental impact due to lower water consumption and energy use. It can enable smaller-scale operators a cheaper entry into processing large-scale deposits, without raising massive capital upfront to construct costly traditional processing plants.
Rio2 experienced management is well-placed to have a red-hot crack at making Fenix a success. The company is led by Perth-born mining identity Alex Black, who has done it before. Black was instrumental in developing another Canadian-listed company Rio Alto Mining, which used heap leaching on a deposit with similar grades to…
