DRDGold Limited announc-ed on October 27, 2005 that the
group’s gold production of 135 630 oz for the quarter ended
September 30, 2005, was 1% down on the previous quarter. However,
production from the South African operations increased by 5% to 67
710 oz.
This reflects a continuing process of stabilisation at
Blyvooruitzicht and East Rand Proprietary Mines Limited (ERPM), the
company said. Continuing operational constraints at Porgera and
Tolukuma saw DRDGold’s attnew cone crusher priceributable production from the
Australasian oper-ations fall by 6% to 67 920 oz.
Group cash operating costs were 9% higher at $356/oz. Cash
operating costs at the Australasian operations rose 9%jaw crusher manufacturer china to $308/oz,
reflecting lower production at Porgera and Tolukuma and higher fuel
costs affecting these operations as well as Emperor’s
Vatukoula mine. Against this, the cash operating csmall chemical grinder equipmentosts at the South
African operations increased by 7% to $419. At Blyvooruitzicht,
near Carletonville, total gold production rose 6% to 43 822 oz,
reflecting a 40% increase in surface production to 9 196 oz due
both to increased throughput from the slimes dam project and the
milling of waste rock, the latter at an average grade of 1 g/t.
Underground production was slightly lower at 34 626 oz, reflecting
a 17% decline in area mined to 35 000 m2 and a 21% decrease in
yield to 6,23 g/t. The main contributor was the loss of high-grade
panels owing to seismicactivity during July that necessitated the
temporary redeployment of six crews to lower-grade areas. Increased
sweeping and vamping helped to offset the negative impact.
The affected high-grade panels have been re-established and
production from these will resume in the course of the current
(December) quarter. Mine-call factor (MCF) showed improvement,
largely owing to the successful implementation ofsingle-cartridge
blasting thatresults in larger rock fragment-ation and,
consequently, less gold loss in fines.
Productivity, in terms of grams per total employee costed (g/tec)
increased by 5% to 130,41 g/tec, reflecting the benefits of
continuing training for in-stope personnel and a further reduction
in theaverage temperature at working faces to 29,5