Lihir gold mine

This was a result of higher mill and autoclave throughput, and improved recovery.

Newcrest Mining says in its December 2016 Report that this was partially offset by lower grade.

“Recovery was higher due to improved autoclave availability and utilisation following completion of the total plant shut in the September quarter, during which material bypassed the autoclave circuit and was fed directly into the NCA circuit to maximise throughput levels with consequential recovery losses.

In a letter dated Aug 23, 2016, Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari wrote to the Conservation & Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) Managing Director, Gunther Joku, asking why there were “sudden and unknown amendments to the Water Use Permit (WUP) that allows Lihir Gold Ltd to extract 4,400 cubic metres of water per hour…” instead of the permitted rate of 3,800 cubic metres per hour.  

CEPA is tasked with the job of issuing various water usage and water disposal permits to major resource projects in the country, including mining companies like Lihir Gold Ltd.