Test work on ore from Zenith Minerals’ (ASX: ZNC) Red Mountain project in Queensland has generated high gold recoveries.
Drill core samples from the project underwent industry standard leach test work, which achieved average gold recoveries of 83.3%.
Using a composite sample grading 4.25 grams per tonne gold with low arsenic, gold recovery was 95.8% in 24 hours. This was with reduced cyanide and lime consumption and fast leach kinetics.
Another sample grading 3.64g/t gold, with high arsenic yielded a 70.7% gold recovery in 48 hours. Again, this was also with low cyanide and lime, and fast leach kinetics.
Combined, these samples resulted in the average 83.3% gold recovery rate.
“I am pleased to report that initial metallurgical test work on gold mineralisation at Red Mountain has returned high average gold recoveries using industry standard leaching technology,” Zenith chief executive officer Michael Clifford said.
He said the company would complete more detailed test work, which will hopefully confirm the initial results.
Advancing Red Mountain
Mr Clifford said the company would be undertaking a deeper diamond drill hole at the project.
The hole has been planned to test the project’s central copper-gold core target and will be completed in the New Year.
Drilling to-date at Red Mountain has uncovered a zone of high-grade near surface gold mineralisation, with a focus on the western region of the zone.
Highlight intercepts at the project have been 13m at 8 grams per tonne gold, 15m at 3.5g/t gold and 5m at 10.4g/t gold.
The mineralised zone is part of wider 2.2km target, which is backed by 3D induced polarisation geophysical data.
In the coming four months, Zenith plans to have two rigs drilling at Red Mountain.
The company considers Red Mountain mineralisation to be analogous to known gold deposits in Queensland.
Red Mountain is between two gold mines – Auris Minerals’ (ASX: AUR) Cracow and Evolution Mining’s (ASX: EVN) Mount Rawdon.
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