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Highlights
North Bay Resources (OTC:NBRI) readies Fran Gold Project for increased ore shipments
Upgrades to Bishop Gold Mill enhance consistency and gold recovery
Flotation circuit and grade control plans underway to boost production
North Bay Resources (OTC:NBRI), a company within the mining and exploration sector, is preparing for expanded operations at its Fran Gold Project in British Columbia. This follows recent developments in production and gold concentrate shipments from its Bishop Gold Mill in California. Activity in this sector comes amid broader stability in global markets, with movements in key indexes like the ASX 200 reflecting resilience across diversified industries.
Mobilisation efforts are underway as North Bay prepares for the arrival of crews on-site in early June. This marks a significant step in scaling up the company’s processing and shipping capacity following earlier successful shipments of gold concentrate.
North Bay has completed multiple gold concentrate shipments to a refinery partner in Nevada. These deliveries followed processing at the Bishop Gold Mill, which operates on a consistent daily throughput capacity. The shipments reflected varying grades of recovered gold, influenced by equipment performance during the processing stages.
An operational issue involving the raker classifier in earlier shipments was addressed through upgrades and repairs in April. The adjustments led to improved consistency in grind size, enhancing the material feed to the centrifuge and significantly increasing the gold yield. These refinements helped bring the recovery rate back in line with earlier performance metrics, supporting the goal of steady output from the facility.
Flotation Circuit Design and Production Expansion
Progress continues on production enhancements, including finalisation of a flotation circuit designed to optimise ore recovery. An additional mixing tank has been added to support the flotation process. The company is also modifying the grind size to improve overall recovery rates.
Previous technical work established that combining gravity and flotation methods can yield high recovery from Fran Gold Project ore. Based on this approach, the facility is now positioned to achieve more efficient processing outcomes as preparations are made for larger weekly deliveries, with commercial scale throughput on the horizon.
Grade Control and Throughput Optimisation
North Bay is initiating a grade control strategy on its stockpiles to improve ore quality before processing. The aim is to maintain consistent head grade at the mill while ensuring adequate feed for uninterrupted operations. The strategy includes monitoring of ore characteristics and strategic blending to optimise output.
These efforts form part of a broader ramp-up aimed at achieving sustained throughput levels in line with the mill’s full processing capacity. By leveraging existing stockpiles and enhanced equipment performance, North Bay seeks to stabilise its operational pipeline and support continued project development.
Project Location and Exploration Overview
The Fran Gold Project spans a large area situated near two major copper-gold mining operations—Centerra Gold’s (TSX:CG) Mt Milligan Mine and Artemis Gold’s (TSX-V:ARTG) Blackwater Mine. North Bay’s project hosts a defined gold deposit with multiple parallel veins and known gold grades from prior exploration.
The company has carried out extensive diamond drilling over the project area, revealing intercepts of both vein and disseminated gold mineralisation. The geological data supports continued exploration and development, with focus on optimising existing infrastructure for scaled-up production.
