JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed diversified mining and exploration company Independence Group (IG) announced on Monday that gold production at its 30%-owned Tropicana gold mine – which is 70% owned and managed by AngloGold Ashanti – was 28 651 oz for the June quarter, which was firmly within its production guidance range.

The average yearly processing plant rate at the Kalgoorlie-based mine for the June quarter was a record 6.88-million tons a year, with an annualised rate in excess of 7.25-million tons a year achieved for the months of May and June.

The average grade processed for the quarter was 1.93 g/t, while the average metallurgical recovery was 89.3%. Mining volumes in the quarter remained high at 7-million bank cubic metres, benefiting from continued higher productivity rates. The average strip ratio in the June quarter was 13:1, as cutbacks proceeded in the Tropicana Stage 2 pit. The life-of-mine strip ratio remained 6:1.

Meanwhile, zinc production at Independence’s 100%-owned Jaguar mine was in line with guidance, while copper production exceeded company guidance.

Copper production at the Kalgoorlie mine benefited from higher copper grades of 2.88% achieved within the quarter, which offset expected lower zinc grades of 7.3%. The annualised mining and processing rates for the quarter were 470 637 t/y for zinc, and 490 672 t/y for copper.

Further, the Jaguar processing plant achieved a record throughput production rate of 505 578 t, while average zinc and copper recoveries for the quarter were 84.5% and 91.7% respectively.

Nickel production at Independence’s Long operation, also in Kalgoorlie, was 2 008 t for the June quarter, resulting in full-year production of 8 482 t.

Long mined 50 167 t of ore for the quarter an an average grade of 4% nickel, which was broadly in line with expectation and the March quarter result.

This, said Independence, was a positive result by the Long team, considering production delays in April related to paste fill issues.