Slurry commissioning of cleaners 2B, 3B and 4B marked the completion of the initial refurbishment activities for the full circuit.

The upgraded cleaner circuit is a key part of the effort to take the Century operations up to 12 million tonnes per annum over the 2019-20 financial year.

The first step on that journey is to get to 8-9Mtpa.

New Century is in the midst of mining the old tailings dam at the Century mine.

It has brought on three hydraulic mining cannons for that purpose.

Each cannon is capable of 3Mtpa production.

Cleaner 2B will clear the bottlenecks and allow New Century to advance towards 8-9Mtpa.

Cleaners 3B and 4B will come into their own during the march to 12Mtpa.

Another stage of the 12Mtpa push will involve bringing additional scavenger flotation capacity on line. That is due to happen in November.

Then will come the commissioning of the second zinc rougher stage in March 2020.

That will be done in conjunction with the commissioning of a fourth mining water cannon.