A MODEL FOR MODERN MINING

HOW GOLD FIELDS AND SANDVIK REDEFINED CRUSHING AT AGNEW.

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When Gold Fields set out to expand its Agnew gold mine in Western Australia, it faced a familiar – if formidable – challenge: how to increase throughput from an ageing plant without compromising safety or reliability.

The site's 21-year-old tertiary crushing circuit had served faithfully, but it was no longer capable of meeting the demands of a third underground source.

Rather than simply replacing worn-out assets, Gold Fields saw an opportunity to rethink how crushing and screening could drive efficiency and energy savings across the operation.

The result, developed in partnership with Sandvik Rock Processing, was a state-of-the-art circuit that has transformed performance, reduced energy consumption, and earned Agnew recognition at the 2025 Australian Mining Prospect Awards, taking out the Mine Performance of the Year category, as well as the coveted and Australian Mine of the Year Award.

Finer, smarter, faster

Speaking on a panel at the recent 2025 Asia-Pacific's International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX), Gold Fields manager – processing Tristan Freemantle said the upgrade delivered an immediate and measurable improvement in performance.

"The old circuit produced eight to 10mm feed; the new circuit consistently delivers around 6.5mm," Freemantle said. "That seemingly small reduction has had a big impact on production. We've lifted plant throughput from roughly 120 to 150 tonnes an hour to around 170 tonnes.

"A finer product also reduces energy use in grinding – about an 18 per cent saving – because the grinding circuit does less work and uses less media. Ultimately, finer and more consistent feed stabilises the circuit, which is critical in gold processing."