Late June start up planned for Coral’s Robertson mine

Vancouver-based Coral Gold Corp. (VSE) has committed itself to a late June startup date for commercial production at the Robertson gold property in Nevada, the company said recently.

Located about 35 miles southeast of Battle Mountain, Nev., the 6,000-acre property is expected to produce about 20,000 oz this year at a cost of less than $200(US) per oz from an open pit, heap leach operation.

Robertson ore will be extracted at a rate of 1,000 tons per day, increasing to 2,000 tons per day by late July. Additional production increases are expected in 1989, Coral says. Total proven and probable reserves at Robertson stand at 11 million tons grading 0.04 oz gold per ton but initial production will come from the Gold Quartz West zone, where grades average 0.68 oz.

In a bid to expand its production rate to about 120,000 oz annually by 1990, Coral is attempting to get permitting for a second and much larger leach pad at the Triplet Gulch ore zone southeast of the Gold Quartz orebody.

Coral says the new pad, where production is expected by the end of 1988, will measure 2,400 ft long by 800 ft wide and provide more than three times the capacity of the current leaching facility with a loading capacity of six million tons.

By using agglomeration methods, Coral spokesman Jim Baylis says the company is currently getting 70% recoveries with a 1:1 strip ratio.

Capital costs at Robertson last year were $6 million, Baylis says.

The 100%-owned (less royalties) Robertson property is one of a number of properties held by Coral Gold in the Nevada area.

Others include the Modoc property three miles from Battle Mountain Gold’s (TSE) Fortitude Gold mine and the Colorback project located three miles north of Robertson.