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Client: |
Randgold Resources and AngloGold Ashanti |
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Location: |
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), EMEA |
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Throughput: |
7.2 Mtpa |
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Value: |
Confidential |
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Contract Type: |
EPCM |
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Project Type: |
Gold concentrator and associated infrastructure |
DRA was awarded the EPCM contract for the Kibali Gold mine, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), owned by RandGold Resources, AngloGold Ashanti and SOKIMO. DRA delivered the design, procurement and project management of the metallurgical plant including the infrastructure, a 45 MW backup power system, tailings system for a 6.1 Mt lined concentrate tailings dam and 7.6 Mt float tailings dam with construction commencing in 2012.
The construction was undertaken in two concurrent phases. The first phase included the design and construction of the metallurgical facility, hydropower station and a backup thermal power facility; construction of the tailings storage facility; the relocation of villages; open-pit mining and all shared infrastructure. The second phase involved the development of the underground mine and three additional hydropower stations.
DRA’s scope of work on the processing plant included the design and construction of a facility to treat 3.6 Mtpa of oxide ore through the oxide circuit and 3.6 Mtpa plant for the treatment of sulphide ore through the sulphide circuit.
The oxide circuit includes primary crushing, milling, gravity concentration, flash flotation, carbon in leach, detox and tailings disposal.
The sulphide circuit comprises primary and secondary crushing, milling, gravity concentration, flash flotation, rougher flotation, concentrate handling (thickening and ultra-fine grinding), pump cell circuit and tailings disposal. The loaded carbon from the pump cell circuit and carbon in leach circuit are batch treated separately in elution circuits followed by electrowinning of gold eluate in the gold room. The project deadline was brought forward, but DRA rose to the challenge and first gold was poured in September 2013, a month ahead of schedule.
DRA was contracted to design and build the Nzoro 22 Mw hydropower plant which supplies the Kibali project with electrical power. While this was DRA’s first experience in hydropower generation, the world class expertise and ‘can do’ approach of its engineers meant a highly successful job complete, from concept to design to construction. The 22MVA station is a run-of-river scheme requiring an intake off the river via a 4.5 km long canal feeding two penstock lines 3.5 m in diameter and 1.2 km long.