04 MAY 2012 - Koza Gold

May 4. 2012 With an early start the UBC Mining Research Trip team was off to view Ovacik, the pioneer gold mine in Turkey, operated by Koza Gold Operations.This mine is located 100 km North of Izmir close to the city of Bergama, Turkey. The deposit was discovered in 1989 and the current reserve estimation indicates a mine life extending to 2016, not considering current exploration. This mine began as an open pit mine and by 2007 open pit operations were completed. Since then, the mine has progressed to underground methods utilizing both cut and fill as well as sublevel caving. Production is fully mechanized and the mine development progresses in a top-down method. Excavated areas are backfilled and drift development support consists of standard rock bolt, shotcrete and mesh support standards. The extracted ore is transported to a stockpile located in the completed pit and then hauled to the ROM stockpile. The milling process consists of a standard crush and grind circuit with a rod mill operating in open circuit and a ball mill operating in closed circuit with a cyclone. The cyclone overflow is fed to the CIP circuit for gold extraction. Cyanide destruction following gold recovery is completed through the INCO SO2 process with the resulting cyanide concentration measuring substantially less than government regulations. The Ovacik gold mine has made an extensive effort to minimize their overall impact on the environment, with great success. Our tour consisted of a extensive presentation covering the safety regulations, geological characteristics, mine and mill parameters, environmental commitments and the history of the site. Following this, we were provided with a tour of the tailings management facility as well as the open pit and laydown areas. Following a delicious lunch, we were given an extensive tour of the mill and control room, before departing. We were very impressed with the level of commitment that Koza Gold has shown in regard to responsible mining practice that has helped pave the way for the future of gold mining in Turkey. Thank you to Koza Gold for hosting us and contributing to the the success of the UBC Mining Research Field Trip 2012.