3790
From Concept to Implementation, a Review of the HPGR
Circuit Selection for the Côté Gold Project
T. Lundquist, G. Jennings, &R. Beauprie
Weir Minerals, West Valley City, Utah, USA
B. Dierx
Weir Minerals, Venlo, The Netherlands
ABSTRACT: The Côté Gold Project is located approximately 125 km southwest of Timmins in northern
Ontario, Canada. The project is operated as a joint venture between IAMGOLD Corporation (“IAMGOLD”),
as the operator, and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. (“Sumitomo”). This open pit mine and processing plant
is of significance and will be one of Canada’s largest gold operations.
This paper explores the rationale behind the selection of High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) technology
over conventional Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) milling for the project. HPGR technology offers several
advantages over SAG milling, including improved energy efficiency, reduced operating costs, and enhanced lib-
eration of gold particles from the ore. The decision to implement HPGR technology at the Côté Gold Project
underscores IAMGOLD’s commitment to adopting innovative and sustainable solutions in mineral processing.
Through a comprehensive desktop evaluation of various milling options, HPGR emerged as the optimal choice
to minimize the environmental footprint, optimize recovery rates and maximize the project’s economic viabil-
ity. Subsequentially, a rigorous process validation was conducted in the mineral laboratory to understand all
grinding parameters at varying operating conditions. These industrial-scale pilot tests supported full operational
scale-up and selection of the HPGR and closing vibrating screen. A large, single unit ø2.4 m × 2.4 m HPGR
was selected which is capable of processing 4000tph of ore.
This paper provides valuable insights into the strategic decision-making process behind the adoption of HPGR
technology, highlighting its potential to revolutionize the projects comminution circuit.
Keywords: HPGR, Gold Processing, energy efficiency, test work, scale-up, comminution
INTRODUCTION
The Côté Gold Project is located in the Chester and Yeo
Townships, District of Sudbury, in northeastern Ontario.
It is approximately 25 km southwest of Gogama, 125 km
southwest of Timmins, and 175 km northwest of Sudbury
(Figure 1). The project is accessible year-round via Highway
144 which runs north-south 5 km to the east. The Côté
Gold properties were assembled through staking and
option agreements covering a total area of about 596 km2.
From Concept to Implementation, a Review of the HPGR
Circuit Selection for the Côté Gold Project
T. Lundquist, G. Jennings, &R. Beauprie
Weir Minerals, West Valley City, Utah, USA
B. Dierx
Weir Minerals, Venlo, The Netherlands
ABSTRACT: The Côté Gold Project is located approximately 125 km southwest of Timmins in northern
Ontario, Canada. The project is operated as a joint venture between IAMGOLD Corporation (“IAMGOLD”),
as the operator, and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. (“Sumitomo”). This open pit mine and processing plant
is of significance and will be one of Canada’s largest gold operations.
This paper explores the rationale behind the selection of High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) technology
over conventional Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) milling for the project. HPGR technology offers several
advantages over SAG milling, including improved energy efficiency, reduced operating costs, and enhanced lib-
eration of gold particles from the ore. The decision to implement HPGR technology at the Côté Gold Project
underscores IAMGOLD’s commitment to adopting innovative and sustainable solutions in mineral processing.
Through a comprehensive desktop evaluation of various milling options, HPGR emerged as the optimal choice
to minimize the environmental footprint, optimize recovery rates and maximize the project’s economic viabil-
ity. Subsequentially, a rigorous process validation was conducted in the mineral laboratory to understand all
grinding parameters at varying operating conditions. These industrial-scale pilot tests supported full operational
scale-up and selection of the HPGR and closing vibrating screen. A large, single unit ø2.4 m × 2.4 m HPGR
was selected which is capable of processing 4000tph of ore.
This paper provides valuable insights into the strategic decision-making process behind the adoption of HPGR
technology, highlighting its potential to revolutionize the projects comminution circuit.
Keywords: HPGR, Gold Processing, energy efficiency, test work, scale-up, comminution
INTRODUCTION
The Côté Gold Project is located in the Chester and Yeo
Townships, District of Sudbury, in northeastern Ontario.
It is approximately 25 km southwest of Gogama, 125 km
southwest of Timmins, and 175 km northwest of Sudbury
(Figure 1). The project is accessible year-round via Highway
144 which runs north-south 5 km to the east. The Côté
Gold properties were assembled through staking and
option agreements covering a total area of about 596 km2.