New Work Confirms Gold Recoveries Of Up To 98%
Tesoro Resources Limited’s (ASX: TSO) Tenera Gold Deposit has exhibited very high gravity and cyanide leach gold recoveries up to 98% from detailed metallurgical test work at the Company’s El Zorro Gold Project, Chile.
The test work programme was designed to assess the gravity recovered gold component and cyanide leaching characteristics over a range of grind sizes. The programme provides a PFS level of assessment for the gravity recovery and leach kinetics of the various mineralised zones at Tenera.
Managing Director, Zeff Reeves, said initial metallurgical test work was conducted on a composited sample that represented the various mineralised zones at Tenera. Samples were selected from the various mineralised zones that lie within the Tenera Mineral Resource Estimate.
“These metallurgical test results are exceptional. The results confirm high gravity and cyanide leach recoveries that can be achieved for processing of material from Ternera using, very simple, conventional gravity and CIL processes at a very coarse grind size,” Mr Reeves said.
“The recoveries we are seeing, particularly at the coarse 200 micron grind size, are exceptional and offer considerable cost and operational advantages to a future mining operation at El Zorro. This work will enable the development of a preliminary project flowsheet and continues to de-risk the project as it advances toward development.”
A total of 518kg of mineralised rock samples were collected from 53 diamond drill holes from Tenera, representing each of the mineralised and grade zones within the Resource.
The initial test work, the results for which are shown above, was conducted on an 8kg composite sample generated from each of the main mineralised units at Tenera. Test work was conducted by ALS Metallurgical Laboratories in Perth , Western Australia.
The assayed head grade for the sample was 1.12g/t Au.
The following test work, using sea water, was conducted on the sample:
• Detailed head assay analysis
• Gravity recoverable Gold (GRG) Test
• Grind size establishment (250 micron, 200 micron, 150 micron and 75 micron)
• Gravity Cyanide Leach Tests for 250 micron, 200 micron, 150 micron and 75 micron.
The test work results indicate that mineralised material from Tenera has a very high gravity recoverable portion, rapid cyanide leach kinetics and is only marginally sensitive to grind size.
Based on these test work results a grind size of 200 micron has been selected as the basis of future test work programmes and process flow sheet design. 200 microns is considered a very coarse grind and indicates the potential for utilisation of a low operational cost milling processes.
Next Steps
These results represent the initial stages of the Tenera detailed metallurgical test work program. The remainder of the test work program will focus the metallurgical response of 11 composite samples consisting of the main mineralised zones and grade ranges at Tenera.
The test work will provide sufficient metallurgical information to allow a PFS level of assessment to be completed.
For further information please visit: https://www.tesororesources.com.au/
