en.Wedoany.com Reported - On May 15, 2026, in preparation for the state expert review of the permanent exploration standards feasibility study and reserve calculation for the man-made gold deposit within the Klyuchevskoye deposit waste dump, the company "Rock and Mill" conducted a re-evaluation of the deposit using new standard parameters. The subsoil user for this man-made gold deposit is Zheltuginskaya Mining Company (Zheltugin GRK) LLC.
During the preparation of review documents, experts from "Rock and Mill" considered two mining schemes. The first is a bulk mining scheme, where all extracted material is sent directly to the heap leach pad without quality differentiation. The second is a selective mining scheme, where extracted material is handled separately based on its ore-grade/sub-grade classification: ore-grade material is used for heap leaching, while sub-grade material is stockpiled separately. Different reserve calculation methods were applied to these two schemes. Notably, the State Reserves Committee introduced a new parameter for the selective mining scheme: a minimum gold grade for blocks within the block model, used to distinguish between ore-grade and sub-grade reserves within a mining level. The technical and economic calculations demonstrated that mining this man-made deposit is only economically viable when using the selective mining scheme with this parameter applied.
Developing the man-made gold deposit in the Klyuchevskoye deposit waste dump is significant for exploring new methods and technologies for reserve assessment in previously mined areas. The deposit was mined via open-pit methods from 1932 to 2002, during which 16.5 to 18.5 million tonnes of ore were extracted and processed, leaving approximately 75 million tonnes of sub-grade ore and waste rock accumulated in the waste dump. Heap leaching is currently planned as the primary processing technology. The specific nature of this man-made deposit lies in the extremely uneven distribution of gold within the ore. Applying modern reserve calculation methods, combined with non-traditional standard indicators and technological advancements, can improve assessment accuracy and optimize development parameters while complying with current regulatory requirements.
According to available information, Zheltuginskaya Mining Company is a gold mining enterprise primarily engaged in leaching precious metals from historical waste dumps within the Drovatsky licensed area in the Trans-Baikal Territory. The reserves of the Klyuchevskoye deposit waste dump amount to 12.135 tonnes of gold and 11.7 tonnes of silver, with a development license valid until August 2042. According to the Trans-Baikal Territory Government in 2024, the enterprise has a design capacity of 1.253 tonnes of gold per year, with an investment volume (at 2021 prices) of approximately 3.168 billion rubles.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
