Montage Gold has awarded Metso a contract for the supply of critical minerals processing equipment for its Koné gold project in Côte d’Ivoire. The order, valued at approximately EUR 50 million ($52 million), includes Metso’s cutting-edge HRC™ high-pressure grinding roll (HPGR) technology.
Metso’s delivery package consists of a Premier™ dual-pinion grinding mill with a 22 MW installed power, alongside an HRC™ 2400e HPGR, designed to optimize energy efficiency, throughput, and reduce operational costs. The ball mill will be equipped with Metso’s metallic mill lining and Polymer Hydrostatic Shoe Bearing system, while the HRC will feature flanged roll technology integrated with Metso’s advanced mechanical skew control system.
In addition, Metso will supply a Superior™ MKIII 54-75 primary gyratory crusher, Nordberg® MP1250 cone crushers, and high-rate thickeners with the Reactorwell™ feed system. The Premier ball mill, HRCe HPGR, and the thickeners with Reactorwell feed system are part of Metso Plus offering.
Peder Olsen, President & Chief Development Officer of Montage Gold, commented: “After a comprehensive due diligence process, including extensive trade-off studies and site visits, we are confident in our decision to select Metso for our HPGR installation. Their high-throughput, reliable technology has proven its performance, and we were impressed by the professionalism of their team and commitment to delivering our project on schedule and within budget. We look forward to a successful partnership driven by Metso’s advanced technology and their strong focus on service and support.”
Kai Rönnberg, Vice President, Minerals, Asia-Pacific at Metso, added: “Montage Gold’s Koné project stands out as one of Africa’s most promising gold developments, offering low-cost production and a long mine life. We are honored to be chosen as their partner for the delivery of key processing equipment and are committed to optimizing the process with energy-efficient, reliable, and safe technology.”
The project aims for its first gold pour in the June quarter of 2027, following a 27-month construction period for the processing plant. Early-stage works are already progressing, with major construction and the development of water storage and dam facilities set to begin in the March quarter.
The plant’s nominal throughput, based on the most recent study, is projected at 11 Mt/y, with primary and secondary crushing, HPGR, milling, and carbon-in-leach (CIL) facilities achieving availabilities of 75%, 88%, and 91%, respectively.
