PROSPECTORS at Scotland’s only gold mine near Tyndrum could produce their first ‘pour’ of Scottish gold as early as next month, by processing spoil heaps of ore.
Scotgold hopes to begin a six-month bulk processing trial (BPT) at the Cononish mine in May, if the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Planning Authority grants it permission to site a temporary plant in existing buildings.
The ‘small-scale, low-cost’ pilot plant, estimated to cost £140,000, aims to process 2,400t of the 7,000t of stockpiled ore, which grades at around 7.9g/t of gold and 39g/t of silver. The company hopes to produce around 150ozs of Scottish gold at Cononish, and a further 350ozs off-site, which can then be sold at a premium.