Fiji Could Be Home To World’s Highest Gold Grades: Patrick Hickey

Fiji’s new gold mine, the second operator to join the local industry, has the potential to become of the highest grade gold mines in the world.

Lion One’s chief operating officer, Patrick Hickey, made the comment, in a recent market announcement.

“At its current resource grade of over eight grammes per tonne of gold, Tuvatu has the potential to become one of highest grade gold mines in the world,” he said.

This, as ongoing exploration demonstrates significant potential for identifying a large alkaline gold system within the Navilawa Caldera, he said.

“When we put a tonne of ore in the mill that contains 10 grammes of gold in it, we will recover 87.5 per cent of the gold inside of it,” Mr Hickey said, in response to SunBiz queries.

Portal

Lion One has commenced development of the portal for its second underground access, at a projected rate of 2 metres per day.

High-grade intercepts that occur in very close proximity to planned underground infrastructure, indicate a number of high-grade lodes are immediately accessible.

“Lion One anticipates to be driving through these lodes as early as the second quarter of 2022,” the company said.

Third Quarter Of 2023

Initial gold production at the country’s second operating gold mine will commence toward the end of next year.

This, as Lion One announced the installation by the third quarter of 2023, of a scalable milling facility.

The mill will produce 300 tonnes per day for approximately 24,000 ounces of gold per year, ramping up to potentially 1200 tonnes per day, Lion One said.

Lion One has conducted and reviewed extensive metallurgical test work at numerous accredited laboratories between 1997 and 2020.

Since the Tuvatu mineralisation contains variable quantities of large and very small free gold, the process engaged by the mines optimises overall gold recovery.

Tuvatu

The Tuvatu gold deposit is located on the island of Viti Levu in the South Pacific island nation of Fiji.

Lion One’s flagship asset is 100 per cent owned, fully permitted high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project, located on the island of Viti Levu in Fiji.

Lion One envisions a low-cost high-grade underground gold mining operation at Tuvatu.

$3billion

Lion One’s chief executive officer, Walter Berukoff leads an experienced team of explorers and mine builders, and has owned or operated over 20 mines in seven countries.

As the founder and former chief executive officer of Miramar Mines, Northern Orion, and La Mancha Resources, Mr Berukoff is credited with building over $3 billion of value for shareholders.

Feedback: frederica.elbourne@fijisun.com.fj