CuFe Ltd (ASX:CUF) has fielded high copper recovery rates up to 90.6% in first pass metallurgical test-work conducted on ore from Orlando deposit of the Tennant Creek Copper-Gold Project in the Northern Territory, a promising result in initial metallurgical testing.
The company has undertaken several tests on existing drill core samples, targeting oxide and transitional ore types with the primary objective of testing the flotation response of the copper oxide ore from Orlando.
CuFe has described the results of these tests as ‘very encouraging’, having achieved copper recovery of 79.8% at a saleable concentrate (rougher) grade of 34.3% copper with oxide flotation testing.
Transition flotation also demonstrated ‘encouraging’ copper recovery, achieving 90.6% at a concentrate (rougher) grade of 11.2%
CUF expects the addition of a grinding and flotation cleaning stage will offer more upside to this method.
Meeting growing copper demand
“Given the primary objective of this initial work was to test the potential to float a concentrate from the copper oxides, these first pass results are very pleasing,” CuFe executive director Mark Hancock said.
“Not only do the test-work results point to the potential to utilise standard flotation for the Orlando copper oxides but the grade of rougher concentrate in this initial test, at 34.3%, was also very encouraging.
“There is a strong consensus view amongst commodity forecasters that there will be significant increases in copper supply required to meet the demand growth that will come from global electrification.
“A project like Orlando, where the ore is planned to be accessed via a cut back to an existing open pit, is one of the simpler projects that can be part of this supply response.
“For this reason, the company will continue to focus on the work streams that are most relevant to the project’s successful development.
“Further metallurgical test-work on the core we have just acquired through our recently completed drilling at Orlando will be a key part of that.”
CuFe’s metallurgical results demonstrate that a standard flotation circuit design could be used for oxide, transitional and primary copper mineralised ore sources, with positive implications for both capital and operating costs associated with the processing plant.
The company believes more work will be necessary to refine gold recoveries for the deposit, with a nuggety gold effect highlighting the need to quantify gold recovery more accurately.
CUF will leverage the reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling program completed in August to provide addition core for more test-work, guided by the results of this preliminary sighter test-work.