Nevada Gold Producers Get Autoclave Lifeline as i-80 Gold Refurbishes Lone Tree Facility

The Nevada gold market is plagued by a persistent problem: a scarcity of pressure oxidation autoclave capacity. This bottleneck erodes the economics of dozens of underground operations, forcing producers to ship refractory sulfide ore to third-party toll milling facilities at a steep cost.

At these facilities, payability is capped at 55% to 60% of contained gold value, resulting in a structural margin compression of 40% to 45% on every ounce of refractory gold delivered. This translates to a cash leak of US$1,200 to US$1,500 per contained ounce.

i-80 Gold's Lone Tree autoclave refurbishment is poised to change this dynamic. The project involves modernizing the entire processing circuit from ore reception to refined gold production at a total cost of US$430 million. This includes upgrading electrical and mechanical systems, piping, acid plant, and effluent treatment infrastructure.

Once completed, the refurbished facility will process approximately 2,268 tonnes per day, targeting a gold recovery rate of around 92%. By centralizing metallurgical processing at the Lone Tree hub, i-80 Gold can eliminate the revenue discount associated with toll milling.