Project Background
The client — a mid-tier gold mining operator with multiple open-pit deposits in central Mongolia — needed a complete turnkey gold processing plant to treat 500 tonnes of ore per day. The ore body was oxidized near-surface transitioning to sulfide at depth, requiring a flexible process flowsheet that could handle both ore types without major equipment changes.
Process Design
WSHT's process engineering team conducted on-site ore sampling and lab-scale beneficiation tests over 8 weeks. The recommended flowsheet included:
- Two-stage jaw + cone crushing reducing ROM ore to -12mm
- Single-stage ball milling in closed circuit with hydrocyclones (P80 = 75μm)
- Gravity concentration with intensive leach reactor for coarse gold recovery
- 6-stage CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) cyanidation circuit for fine gold
- Carbon elution, electrowinning and smelting on-site
Equipment Supplied
WSHT manufactured and supplied the entire mechanical package: PE900×1200 jaw crusher, HP300 cone crusher, MQG2700×3600 ball mill, hydrocyclone cluster, CIL tanks with agitators, desorption & electrowinning skid, and full laboratory equipment. All equipment CE / ISO 9001 certified.
Civil & Installation
The civil scope covered 6,500 m² of concrete foundations, 1,800 t of steel structure, all process piping and a 1.2 km access road. Our Mongolian-resident installation team completed mechanical and electrical erection in 5 months, with zero lost-time incidents.
Commissioning & Performance
Plant commissioning was completed in 6 weeks, including no-load tests, water load tests, and 72-hour performance runs. Final metallurgical results: 92.5% gold recovery at a head grade of 3.8 g/t, exceeding contractual guarantees.
Outcomes & Long-Term Support
The plant has now been in continuous operation for over 12 months. WSHT provides remote process monitoring, monthly on-site audits and a 5-year spare parts supply contract. The client has signed a follow-on EPC contract for a second 1,000 TPD line at an adjacent deposit.