Northgate Minerals Corp (NXG)

[NYBob]

The Fosterville Gold mine is located 20 km east of Bendigo,
a township of approximately 95,000 people.

Bendigo, a historic gold mining centre located 150 km north -
of Melbourne, is estimated to have -
produced 22 million ounces of gold -
following the first discoveries in 1851.
Still the oldtimers may only got sniff of
the deeper treasure chests below? -

* Underground gold mine

Fosterville Gold Mine Project -



The Fosterville Gold Mine is located near Bendigo, with the
mine being right on the site of the old Fosterville township.
This once thriving township was established at the time
that gold was first mined at Fosterville long before the
turn of the century, but disappeared when the old mine
ceased working -


Caps supplied 2 standard pressure, oil flooded
Rotary Screw compressors

The new Fosterville Gold Mine is set to double the annual
gold production from Victoria, with expected outputs of
around 140,000 ounces per annum over a projected 10 year
project life.
The mine is based around conventional comminution using a
SAG mill, with the crushed ore then feeding a flotation
process.
CAPS supplied the low pressure air for the flotation circuit
using 2 positive displacement blowers from the Italian
manufacturer Robuschi, with assembly being done at
CAPS Welshpool facility.
These blowers were rated at 5,000 m3/hr each and with
discharge pressure of 151 kPa(A).



The concentrate from the flotation process is then oxidized
in the Biox ® circuit using the bacterial oxidation process
patented by Goldfields of South Africa.
Large quantities of medium pressure air are required for
this process, and CAPS designed and manufactured 3 large
blowers (seen below) each capable of producing 15,000
Normal m3/hr at a discharge pressure of 250 kPa(A).
After the Biox process, the ore is then treated through
a conventional CIL (carbon in leach) circuit followed
by gold elution.


Bacterial Blowers

CAPS also supplied all compressed air requirements
including- air compressors, dryers and air receivers to
meet the plant and instrument air requirements of the
total plant.
During the commissioning phases CAPS had up to 5 people
on site at any one time as we strove to assist the customer
to achieve the first gold pour as soon as possible.
We are pleased to report that gold is now being produced
with the CAPS supplied equipment meeting and exceeding
all expectations.



The Fosterville BIOX® Plant

he Fosterville BIOX® project, situated in the Victoria
province of Australia, has a design capacity of 211 tpd
concentrate at a sulphide sulphur grade of 21.5 %.
The plant consists of six 900 m³ reactors giving a total
retention time of 5 days at the design feed rate.
The BIOX® product is washed in a standard three stage
CCD circuit followed by solution neutralisation
using limestone and lime.
The washed solids are pumped to a CIL circuit.

Testwork on concentrate samples from the Fosterville gold
deposit started in 1996 at Gencor process Research
(now BHP-Billiton, Johannesburg Technology Centre).
The initial batch amenability tests were followed up by
more extensive batch testwork in 1997 and 1998 including
a bulk batch oxidation test to generate slurry for
thickening testwork.

A bankable feasibility for the project was completed in
August 2003 and approval for the project to proceed was
given in November 2003.
Earthworks and construction of the metallurgical plant
commenced in February 2004.

Commissioning of the plant started in April 2005 with
the first BIOX® gold poured on 24 May 2005.
The plant has already achieved the design concentrate
throughput rate and design sulphide sulphur oxidation levels.

Air to the BIOX® reactors are supplied by three blowers,
each with an installed capacity of 750 kW.
The blowers were supplied by Caps Australia and are
configured to operate as two operating and one standby.
Lightnin agitators with the A315 impeller were again selected
for agitation and air dispersion in the BIOX® reactors.
Heat is removed from the system in open circuit
evaporative cooling towers.


* Currently has a 7-year mine life plan at 100,000+ ounces
of gold per year + what now has been discovered by
NXG in latest drill results -
ex..
NXG:AMEX: is pleased to announce significant assay results
for nine diamond drill holes in the Harrier Underground
zone (within the area previously referred to as
the Wirrawilla zone), located just south of the existing
reserves at the Fosterville Gold mine in Victoria, Australia.
The results of the diamond drill program include the
discovery of significant extensions to three north striking
areas of gold mineralization: the Osprey; Raptor; and,
Harrier Base Fault zones.
These zones collectively extend over 500 metres (m) along
strike and 300m in vertical height.
The Raptor zone is open down dip and both the Osprey and
Harrier Base zones are open to the north, south and down dip.

http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=33244839

* Investments in mine development and gold recovery
enhancement project in 2008 will improve efficiency
of operation

* Recently announced conversion to owner mining,
which will reduce production costs

* 2008 gold production is forecast to be 71,000 ounces.



http://www.northgateminerals.com/OperationsProjects/NorthgateFostervilleGoldMine/FostervilleGoldTechnicalReport/default.aspx

http://www.northgateminerals.com/Theme/Northgate/files/pdf/Technical/Fosterville_Report_Final.pdf

NYBob, Wonder how many proven ounces this will add to the
project?
I remember reading that the project would last about
7 years with 100000 oz. production per year.
Would also be nice if they could increase production
amounts each year.

Northgate - INC. 1919 Ont. one of Canada's oldest mining
comp. with continued hi.tec. state of art development works
will soon increase the Gold processing output etc.
dd....
http://www.northgateminerals.com
imo. tia.

God Bless