Gold » Titan Resources
Titan - ticking over on the Coast Jo Bailey Riley Perkins literally grew up with an alluvial gold mine in his back yard, so it’s hardly surprising he chose to forge a career in the industry. As co-director of Titan Resources along with his mother Glenys Perkins, (a West Coast identity with a range of mining interests) he continues to work the very same mine on family land at Bell Hill. “I started operating machinery at a young age and got hooked. Gold is the bonus that pays for it all.” Riley’s parents, Glenys and the late John found evidence of historic gold mine workings on the farm back in the mid 1970’s and went mining for themselves in the 1980’s. “You hear a lot about boom and bust in this industry, so for a small mine to be still running 30 years later with the second generation taking it over is pretty good.” Riley Perkins has been a partner in the mine since 2004. Around two years ago Titan Resources employed four people. However the operation has been scaled back to two following the dip in gold price, and the company running out of access to mineable ground. Titan’s permit area includes 80 percent Crown Land, which has been under Department of Conservation control since it was converted from a Timberlands production forest to an ecological area around 10 years ago. The company applied to DOC for access over four years ago and is still waiting for it to be granted. “We’ve got a large permit area which gives us the potential to be quite a big mine. However we have only been able to get into small pockets over the last five years.”
At the moment, Riley and his sister Bronwyn are working the mine, which continues to be a consistent producer. To improve efficiencies and cut the need for extra manpower, they are currently trialling a new screen feeder system, which takes the human element out of feeding the gold plant, he says. “The system is popular for bigger mines but not usually with smaller ones. But as far as I’m concerned it’s working brilliantly. “The cost is still cheaper than paying a man’s wages and buying another excavator and the machine cuts a three-man operation down to one. The drop in diesel price has made it even more economic.” The gold produced at the mine is sold to a local broker, who sells it on to Australia. “It’s great we don’t have to go out and market the product ourselves as we deal in a variety of gold, from quite large specimens down to flour; and raw gold that can be sold as jewellery pieces.” Glenys Perkins has a busy career outside the mine as manager of Taylor Coal. She is also on the board of the Coal Association of New Zealand; and is a trustee of West Coast Minerals. Last year she was inducted into the Worldwide Who’s Who for Excellence in Mining. “Glenys is really busy, but is fully involved in the mine, and usually comes once a week for a site visit. She likes to see what we’re pulling out and to check things aren’t going pear shaped.” Although the operation has been scaled back, Riley is hopeful they will be able to expand once DOC access is granted and the gold price picks up again. “We’re very confident of what lies ahead with a fair idea of what’s in the ground and how long it will last. Hopefully we can ramp up again when we get the piece of paper we need to do it. In the meantime we’ll just keep picking away at the smaller areas.”
Increasing efficiency When Titan Resources was seeking a solution to consistently feed material to a gold screen the company’s goal was to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Equip2 managed to achieve both these things for the client by selecting from its range of products then formulating a solution to specifically suit the client’s needs, says Bert Hart from Equip2 processing solutions. “Typically the process is for an excavator with an operator to feed the system. Titan Resources wanted a system that could be consistently fed with an adjustable speed option,” he explains. Equip2 offers a range of screening and crushing solutions to the mining and quarrying industries but the company’s unique point of difference is in how it applies its products to form a solution specifically to solve the client’s problem, says Hart. In the case of the project for Titan Resources the company formed a new solution, which eliminated the need for a dedicated excavator and driver thereby freeing up this equipment and personnel for other jobs in the mine. The new system is also more cost-effective to operate using around five litres per hour of fuel compared with the approximately 30 litres per hour an excavator might require to get the job done. Because the feed process is now automated it has resulted in a consistent feed with a more precise water to material ratio – all factors essential for capturing the maximum
12 Mining NZ » Issue 1 2015
amount of gold during the process, says Hart. Equip2 is part of HG Group Limited. Established as HireMax in 2003 HG Group’s equipment hire business has progressively grown and it now has ventures in new areas such as excavator attachments and screening and crushing equipment. Hart says the Equip2 product range offers a great deal of flexibility enabling items to be added or subtracted to result in a truly customised solution. “Speedy delivery and reliable solutions are important to the mining and quarrying industries. We only offer the most reliable models of tried and tested machines and specialise in fast delivery to site. “That’s why after sales service is another priority for us so we can get equipment back up and running, and, in the unlikely event that parts are required, ensure the customer has the right part on time at the right place. “We also supply experienced technical support, to steer our customers in the right direction. ‘The solution we came up with for Titan Resources really demonstrates that we are not just about providing products – we are focused on finding out what the customer needs then finding solutions to help them take their business forward.” Equip2, 1 Norman Avenue, Masterton, 0800 872 254, sales@equip2.co.nz, www.equip2.co.nz
Titan Resources is trialling a new screen feeder system at its West Coast operation.