Norton Gold Fields has officially opened its $278 million Binduli North heap leach project, located 10 kilometres west of Kalgoorlie.
The project, which created 300 jobs during construction and will employ 200 workers during production, has an estimated 10-year life span and is expected to produce an average of 75,000 ounces of gold per year.
Norton recently produced up to 180,000 ounces of gold annually from its Eastern Goldfields tenements.
Once the heap leach facility is operating at full capacity, the company will rank among the top 10 gold producers in the WA.
Heap leaching is a process that involves stacking crushed ore on a lined pad and applying a chemical solution to dissolve precious minerals. The leached solution is collected and treated in a processing plant to extract the gold.
WA’s Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston said the project would allow Norton “to mine and process low-grade ores that may have otherwise been left in the ground”.
“Congratulations to Norton Gold Fields on the opening of its Binduli North heap leach project, which will deliver millions in royalties to the WA economy,” the Minister said.
“It’s always pleasing to see companies like Norton driving growth in WA’s regional communities.
“With more than $16 billion of sales in 2021 and as WA’s second most valuable commodity, gold will continue to play a significant role in our economic future.”
