Copper Metal Plated
Perth, Mar 9, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cyprium Metals Limited (
ASX:CYM) is pleased to advise that metallurgical column test-work, has continued on the samples of the massive and semi-massive sulphides from the Hollandaire and Hollandaire West prospects at the Cue Copper Project. This test-work has been undertaken to determine the optimal copper extraction process for our unique methodology, which has leached copper rapidly into solution (refer to CYM ASX Announcements 14 October 2019, 27 November 2019, 17th and 24th February 2020).
The primary leach solution ("PLS") produced from the metallurgical column test-work has been processed in an electrowinning ("EW") cell (refer to Image 1*) to produce cathode copper metal plates (refer to Image 2*), which were then stripped from the cathodes to complete the processing cycle through to its final product of high purity copper metal plate (refer to Image 3*).
Executive Director Barry Cahill commented "We are pleased to have now completed a full metallurgical processing cycle starting from drilling the mineralisation, to crushing and leaching, and now plating copper as a proof of concept of our low-cost treatment methodology. This has all been done in less than 6 months of commencing the column test-work. The Hollandaire material is very suitable for our methodology and it has outperformed our initial expectations. To produce such a clean copper plate of high purity so quickly is an extraordinary result.
The parameters of the metallurgical test-work performed to date is forming part of the Scoping Study that is underway. Further samples will be taken in the next phases of drill programmes, which will be used for further metallurgical test-work to continue the optimisation of our low-cost and efficient treatment method."
Metallurgical Drill Holes
The metallurgical diamond drill programme (refer to CYM ASX announcement dated 14 October 2019) consisted of three holes for 320 metres into the mineralised envelope of the Hollandaire Prospect at the Cue Copper Project to provide representative samples for test-work to be undertaken as illustrated in Figure 1*.
The first hole in the metallurgical diamond drilling programme, 19HOMET001, was drilled into the Hollandaire West deposit and returned disseminated copper sulphide mineralisation. The second and third diamond drill holes in the programme, 19HOMET002 and 19HOMET003, targeted representative sections of the Hollandaire deposit and returned semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralisation. The results from the metallurgical diamond drill holes included:
- 10.4m @ 14.9% Cu in drill hole 19HOMET003 from 84.5m downhole including:
o 4.5m @ 21.9% Cu from 90.4m;
- 19.1m @ 1.3% Cu in drill hole 19HOMET002 from 85.9m downhole including:
o 6.4m @ 2.1% Cu from 98.6m;
- 27.9m @ 1.1% Cu in drill hole 19HOMET001 from 45.7m downhole including:
o 9.0m @ 1.6% Cu from 63.2m.
Metallurgical Test-Work Results
At the completion of drilling, core samples from the Cue Copper Project were received at the metallurgical laboratory in September 2019. The drill core was crushed, split and assayed for multi-element grades. Composites were then created for the Hollandaire deposit and the Hollandaire West deposit.
Hollandaire samples were composited from holes 19HOMET002 and 19HOMET003 to create two column samples, Columns A and B, with copper grades of 5.10% and 5.24% respectively.
Separately, the drill core from Hollandaire West, obtained from drill hole 19HOMET001, was composited for testing in a third column, Column C, with an average grade of 0.76% copper. Diagnostic testing and mineralogical analysis were undertaken on the samples to determine the optimal parameters to use to undertake the column test-work.
The composites were then leached in separate columns with the resultant copper recovery over time under leach presented in Graph 1* below.
The leaching of these columns is continuing, with final results to be reported once this test-work has been completed.
The results to date demonstrate an accelerated leach time for the extraction of copper metal into solution. The test-work on Column C, in particular, has demonstrated a more rapid leach than Columns A and B, which is a remarkable result that has been achieved after only 6 days.
Implications for the Cue Copper Project
The metallurgical test results to date have produced exceptionally rapid leach times. The effect of the very short leach times on a potential Cue Copper Project is significant as it decreases the size of the heap leach pads, and consequently reduces the capital and operating cost requirements over the life of the operation.
The completion of the plating of copper from the PLS solution in an EW cell completes the process flow sheet for the extraction method of copper from the Hollandaire mineralisation. This is a very important milestone in the Company's aspirations to build a project at Cue. The proof of concept on the treatment of the mineralisation of Cue Copper Project to produce copper metal on site has now been completed.
The metallurgical test-work will now proceed to further optimise the process for the best outcome in terms of cost and efficiency that is possible. The data from this initial round of testwork is being used in the Cue Copper Project Scoping Study that the Company has commenced.
Earn-in and Joint Venture
Pursuant to an agreement between a wholly owned subsidiary of CYM and Musgrave Minerals Limited (ASX:MGV), an option has been granted by Musgrave Minerals Limited to earn-in and joint venture for an 80% interest in the non-gold rights over the tenements at the Cue Copper Project (CYM ASX Release 25 March 2019).
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About Cyprium Metals Ltd
Cyprium Metals Limited (ASX:CYM) is poised to grow to a mid-tier mining business and manage a portfolio of Australian copper projects to deliver vital natural resources, strong shareholder returns and sustainable value for our stakeholders. We pursue this aim, in genuine partnerships with employees, customers, shareholders, local communities and other stakeholders, which is based on integrity, co-operation, transparency and mutual value creation.
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