Monument Mining has begun flotation plant construction at its Selinsing gold mine in Malaysia, with dry commissioning expected to begin in June this year.

Construction of the floating plant includes project management, validation, flotation design and engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning. The project is 50% complete.

The flotation plant's engineering design was undertaken by Mincore. The 3D model of the flotation processing plant is now finalised, and includes a provision for a future addition of the BIOX plant and ancillary works.

The CIL plant will continue operations until June 30, with tie-in and wet commissioning for the flotation plant beginning July 1.

Monument eyes ore commissioning to begin in mid-July, and gold remaining in circuit will be recovered by emptying slurry from the leach and CIL tanks and bagging harvested carbon for elution.

The elution circuit will continue operations for approximately one month following the CIL plant shutdown.

Principal contractor Seong Henng Engineering Works has returned to construct the flotation plant. The company previously carried out construction work to expand the gold processing plant over the last decade, as well as having refurbished and commissioned the CITIC ball mill.

Seong Henng also built and commissioned the second-phase carbon in leach circuit and constructed the CITIC ball mill and three new leach tanks in 2012 for the third phase plant expansion.

Procurement of materials for the plant is underway. Monument has chosen BGRIMM Machinery and Technology to manufacture the flotation cells, which is due to be shipped from China in mid-March.

Finnish firm Metso Outotec is providing the flotation concentrate and water thickeners, and trial assembly is expected in April. Thickeners are scheduled to be delivered to the Malaysian mine by June.

McLanahan Corp. has been selected to provide the flotation concentrate filter press. The filter press assembly will be completed on April 7, with delivery anticipated by June.

Delivery of slurry pumps, Afromix agitators, flotation air blowers, and compressor will be delivered by the end of May.

The contract to design, manufacture, deliver, and commission the containerised MCC switch room has been awarded, and delivery is expected in mid-May.

A concentrate sampler and helical rotor reagent pump has also been ordered, and manufacturing is progressing.

Monument has completed a pilot plant, which includes a ball mill and classifier, rougher/scavenger flotation cells and three stages of cleaner flotation.

The company has produced 50 kg in concentrate, and has sent this to McLanahan for filter press testwork.

Monument has also undertaking antimony leaching tests for gold concentrates marketing purposes.

Concerning civil foundation works, Monument is progressing with construction of the retaining wall extension. Rebar and formwork have been installed, and the first concrete pour took place in mid-February. The retaining wall extension is now 50% complete.

Monument plans to continue work in this area, alongside the new reagents mixing building foundation. It will then follow with civil works for concentrate and water recovery thickeners, reagents warehouse and the filter press building.

Seong Henng is fabricating structural steel and tanks.