Waikaia Gold recently purchased a Movax SG-75TR with Auto C control system to attach to Hitachi 350-5 excavator. The Movax is now working with a company’s other piling rig driving and extracting 14 to 16 meter long sheet piles. In the actual work process the topsoil and gravel in the pit are removed. The gold rich ground soil is then fed to the gold recovery plant by excavator for processing. Removed topsoil and remaining soil from the plant are used to backfill the already mined part of the pit. Once this is done, the pile wall will be extracted and used to build up the next section of the pit to be prepared for excavating.
The March family from Christchurch, one of the owners of Waikaia Gold Ltd, has invested in Movax products because of their high degree of reliability and productivity. Buzz March, co-owner of March Construction Ltd, still owns the first ever Movax SPH-80 delivered to New Zealand and is proud of the excellent condition of the machine. At the same time with commissioning of Waikaia Gold Ltd´s new Movax SG-75TR March Construction Ltd received a brand-new Hitachi 350-5 which is equipped with Movax Auto C control system.
—
WAIKAIA GOLD LTD
Since autumn 2013 Waikaia Gold Ltd has been increasing its production. The operation in the northern Southland of New Zealand close to the Waikaia River has been estimated to benefit the local economy by up to $ 15 million a year and employ up to 45 employees.
Waikaia valley was used for gold digging already from 1860 until early 1900. Today, on paddocks a few hundred meters away from the river, a gold recovery plant floats in a pit up to 16 meters deep. The pit is secured by sheet piled retaining walls to minimize ground water seepage and protect from flooding.