Hera Project Update
Sydney, Jan 19, 2015 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Aurelia Metals Limited (
ASX:AMI) ("AMI" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on mining, exploration and commissioning activities at its Hera gold-lead-zinc project.
HERA PROCESS PLANT COMMISSIONING NEARS COMPLETION
Process plant commissioning activities have continued through December and early January, with key highlights including:
- Continued strong performance of the primary and secondary crushing circuit;
- Exceptional and reliable lead and zinc recoveries of >95% for December;
- The process circuit achieving throughput rates of >40 tonnes per hour; and
- 1st concentrate shipment achieved to specifications and on schedule in November, with 2nd concentrate shipment due for late January.
The focus to completion of commissioning includes:
- Installation of permanent oxygen dosing into the concentrate leach circuit;
- Optimisation of the gravity gold circuit; and
- Tertiary crushing circuit improvements.
UNDERGROUND EXPLORATION - HERA SOUTH
Assay results from underground exploration drilling have highlighted the strong potential of the '1530 Lens' (which lies immediate south-east Main Lens South) to host additional high grade gold and base metals mineralisation, and which is yet to be included into the Hera Resource.
New results from the 1530 Lens include:
- HRUD175: 10.1m @ 9.45 g/t Au and 1.5% Pb+Zn
- HRUD174: 6.8m @ 8.11 g/t Au and 5.6% Pb+Zn
- HRUD159: 7.0m @ 3.77 g/t Au and 0.8% Pb+Zn
New results have also included significant intersections outside the Hera Reserve within the Hays Lens and Main Lens South, including:
Main Lens South
- HRUD159: 12.0m @ 24 g/t Au and 4.3% Pb+Zn
- HRUD175: 8.0m @ 11.7g/t Au and 3.5% Pb+Zn
Hays South
- HRUD159: 2.0m @ 13.35 g/t Au and 0.3% Pb+Zn
- HRUD156: 4.9m @ 5.25 g/t Au and 6.1% Pb+Zn
These results will be included in the re-estimation of the Hera Resource that is currently underway. They are expected to build on previous strong results and deliver meaningful additions to the exiting Hera Resource. Drill hole positions are displayed on a long section on the following page, and hole details are included as Tables 1 & 2 with this release.
SURFACE EXPLORATION DRILLING RE-COMMENCES
Surface exploration drilling will re-commence this week at the Hera Project with an initial focus on following up the bonanza grade intersections reported to the ASX in September 2014, including HRD059 which recorded 17.1m @ 14.8g/t Au, 168g/t Ag, 15.9% Pb and 15.2% Zn. The surface exploration drilling programme includes targets at Nymagee, Nymagee North and regional targets to south of Hera.
HERA UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT WELL ADVANCED
Strong underground development rates continued through November and December with total linear development now at 6,409m. Seven separate production levels are now fully or partially established and the mine is now transitioning to full scale production from development stopes commencing on the 205 and 230 levels (refer long section below).
ABOUT THE HERA-NYMAGEE PROJECT
The Hera-Nymagee Project represents Aurelia's flagship Project and consists of the high-grade underground Hera gold-lead-zinc-silver mine (Aurelia 100%) and the Nymagee copper deposit (Aurelia 95%), and is located approximately 100km south-east of Cobar, in central NSW. The deposits are hosted in the Cobar Basin, which also host the major mineral deposits at CSA (Cu-Ag), The Peak (Cu-Au) and Endeavor (Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag).
Aurelia is now in final plant commissioning stages of the Hera project with first production commenced in the September quarter 2014, and first concentrate shipments due in the December quarter 2014. The Hera Mine produces gold and silver doré bars by gravity and concentrate leach and also produces a high-grade bulk-lead-zinc concentrate for sale.
The Company is also currently evaluating the Nymagee copper deposit, located 4.5km to the north, with a view to demonstrating an integrated development of the Hera and Nymagee deposits.
Aurelia maintains a commitment to the ongoing exploration of the Hera-Nymagee Project and considers both deposits have the potential to evolve into very large "Cobar style' mineral systems.
To view all tables and figures, please visit:
http://media.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/ASX-AMI-706644.pdf
About Aurelia Metals Ltd
Aurelia Metals Limited (ASX:AMI) is focused on the development and exploration of the high grade Hera-Nymagee Project in the Cobar district of NSW.
Aurelia is actively drilling the evolving copper deposit at Nymagee with the potential that the Nymagee mineralisation may evolve into another 'Cobar Giant' similar to the world class CSA copper deposit located approximately 100km north-west along strike.
Aurelia also remains active in the exploration for copper, gold and tin on a number of tenements in the Lachlan Fold Belt of NSW.
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