Operating strategies to maximise gold recovery at Telfer

On average, the difference in recovery between copper and gold is 15% among the large scale copper/gold operations. At Telfer, a number of operating strategies have been implemented together with a sequential flotation circuit design to maximise gold recovery. The main operating strategies include targeting a primary grind size optimum for copper recovery, designing and operating the main flotation circuit as copper and pyrite sequential flotation, targeting a minimum saleable concentrate copper grade, allowing a portion of pyrite/gold recovered into the copper concentrate and leaching the pyrite concentrate to extract the gold. These operating strategies have lifted the recovery of both copper and gold above 90%. There are opportunities to further improve the metallurgical performance at Telfer, including a single stage of cleaning of the copper rougher concentrate, regrinding of the copper scavenger concentrate prior to cleaning and regrinding of the pyrite rougher concentrate followed by additional copper/gold flotation prior to pyrite leaching.