Hercules Metals Achieves Strong Phase I Metallurgical Results With Recoveries of 90% Copper and Over 80% Silver
Hercules Metals Achieves Strong Phase I Metallurgical Results With Recoveries of 90% Copper and Over 80% Silver
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 3, 2024) - Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) ("Hercules Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from its first phase of initial metallurgical testing at the Hercules Project in western Idaho ("Hercules" or the "Property"). Metallurgical testing was conducted on four composite samples, each weighing over 50 kilograms, including samples of oxide and sulfide silver from the near surface epithermal system, as well as copper mineralization from the underlying porphyry system. Conventional flotation of porphyry copper mineralization achieved a strong recovery of ± 87% in initial open cycle tests, with ongoing locked cycle testing now projected to recover ± 90%. A straightforward two-step leaching process on the near-surface silver delivered impressive recoveries of 86% for oxide mineralization and 82% for sulfide mineralization.
初始铜回收率约为87%,在首次开放循环测试中实现,正在进行的锁定循环测试预计将达到约90%。
Highlights
亮点
Initial copper recoveries of ± 87% were achieved in the first pass open cycle tests, with ongoing locked cycle testing now projected to recover ± 90%.
Minimal deleterious elements in concentrate.
Overall silver recoveries of 86% (oxide) and 82% (sulfide) for the near surface silver mineralization, utilizing a sulfurous acid leach followed by conventional cyanidation. Approximately 60% of silver is free milling.
Phase I metallurgical scoping tests were completed at Forte Dynamics ("Forte"), by Deepak Malhotra, PhD, with experience in many large silver deposits, and recipient of the AIME James Douglas Award, the Gaudin Award and Arthur C. Daman Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society of Mining and Metallurgy and Exploration Engineers.
Next steps include Cu-Mo separation analysis, optimization of the two-step leaching process for silver, and optimization of locked cycle flotation of copper.
初始铜回收率约为87%,在首次开放循环测试中实现,正在进行的锁定循环测试预计将达到约90%。
浓缩物中极少有有害元素。
近表面银矿化的总体银回收率为86%(氧化物)和82%(硫化物),采用硫酸浸出法,然后进行常规氰化法。大约60%的银是易磨的。
第一阶段冶金範疇测试在福特动力("福特")完成,由拥有多个大型银矿经验的Deepak Malhotra博士进行,他曾获得美国矿业与冶金工程师学会的AIME詹姆斯·道格拉斯奖、Gaudin奖和亚瑟·C·达曼终身成就奖。
下一步包括铜-钼分离分析、银的两步浸出过程优化,以及铜的锁定循环浮选优化。
Chris Paul, CEO and Director of the Company, noted: "These initial recovery values exceeded our expectations and highlight that a commercial-grade clean concentrate can be produced, without deleterious elements like arsenic or antimony. Moving forward, we anticipate that future optimization studies will work to further enhance these strong initial numbers from our phase I study.
公司的首席执行官兼董事Chris Paul指出:"这些初步的回收值超出了我们的预期,突显了可以生产出商业级的清洁浓缩物,而不含砷或锑等有害元素。展望未来,我们预计后续的优化研究将进一步提升我们第一阶段研究中这些强劲的初始数据。"
Perhaps most encouraging are the exceptionally strong silver recoveries achieved on the near-surface epithermal mineralization. By developing a simple two-step leaching process, Deepak and his team at Forte have improved on historical recoveries by over 20%. This alone may have a profound impact on the future development of the Property, as the ability to implement low-cost leaching of the near surface silver mineralization not only enhances its viability, but also strongly positions us to unlock the underlying porphyry system."
最令人鼓舞的是,在近表面的热液矿化中实现了异常强劲的白银回收率。通过开发一个简单的两步浸出工艺,Deepak和他的Forte团队将历史回收率提高了超过20%。这单独可能对该物业的未来开发产生深远影响,因为实施低成本的近表面白银矿化浸出能力不仅增强了其可行性,还使我们在开发底层铜矿系统方面占据了强有力的地位。
Silver Recoveries
白银回收率
Forte initially completed a review of historical met work completed in the 1980's prior to proposing a new process which had potential to improve on the historical recoveries. Composite samples were prepared on both the silver oxide and sulfide mineralization from 2023 drill core assay rejects.
Forte最初完成了对1980年代历史冶金工作的审核,然后提出了一种新的工艺,该工艺有潜力改善历史回收率。复合样品是根据2023年钻探核心化验拒绝物准备的,涉及白银氧化矿化和硫化矿化。
Initial bottle roll tests demonstrated that approximately ± 60% of the silver in both composites was directly cyanide soluble, reflective of the free-milling silver component. To improve on this, a two-step recovery process was implemented. The first step involved a sulfurous acid leach, which liberated silver bound to manganese minerals, enhancing its availability for subsequent recovery. The second step, a cyanide leach of the acid-treated material, delivered recoveries of ± 86% for the oxide composite and ± 82% for the sulfide composite, representing a remarkable 22-26% improvement from the initial single-step cyanidation tests. Results are shown in Table 1 below.
初步的瓶滚测试表明,± 60%的白银在这两种复合物中是直接可溶于氰化物的,反映出自由磨矿的白银成分。为了改善这一点,实施了一个两步回收工艺。第一步涉及硫酸浸出,解放了与锰矿物结合的白银,提高了白银后续回收的可获得性。第二步是对经过酸处理的材料进行氰化物浸出,氧化复合物的回收率达到± 86%,硫化复合物的回收率达到± 82%,比初步的单步氰化法测试提高了显著的22-26%。结果显示在下面的表1中。
Table 1: Cyanide Leach Test Results After Sulfurous Acid Leading
表1:硫酸浸出后氰化物浸出测试结果
Sample | Extraction % Ag |
Residue g/t Ag |
Head g/t Ag |
Reagent Consumption kg/t | |
NaCN | Lime | ||||
Oxide | 86.2 | 28.0 | 202.5 | 1.738 | 6.5 |
Sulfide | 82.1 | 17.0 | 94.8 | 1.124 | 2.0 |
样品 | 提取 % Ag |
Residue 每吨银 |
头部 每吨银 |
试剂消耗kg/吨 | |
NaCN | 石灰 | ||||
氧化 | 86.2 | 28.0 | 202.5 | 1.738 | 6.5 |
硫化物 | 82.1 | 17.0 | 94.8 | 1.124 | 2.0 |
Copper-Molybdenum Recoveries
铜-钼回收率
Rougher flotation tests were performed at varying grind sizes. The test results indicated that both copper and molybdenite recoveries were independent of the grind sizes tested. The results also indicated that 12 minutes of flotation time recovered ± 95% of copper and ± 84% of molybdenite in the rougher concentrate at a fairly coarse grind of P80 of 100 mesh (Table 2).
在不同粒度下进行了粗选浮选测试。测试结果表明,铜和莫利比登矿的回收率与测试的磨矿粒度无关。结果还表明,在粗选精矿中,12分钟的浮选时间回收了约95%的铜和约84%的莫利比登矿,磨矿粒度为P80达到100目(见表2)。
Table 2: Cu-Mo Rougher Flotation Results at Varying Grind Sizes
表2:在不同磨矿粒度下的铜-钼粗选浮选结果
Primary Grind Size (mesh) |
Flotation Time, min |
Recovery % | Concentrate Grade % | |||
Wt | Cu | Mo | Cu | Mo | ||
100 | 12 | 9.97 | 95.8 | 84.0 | 8.8 | 0.07 |
150 | 12 | 10.01 | 95.4 | 83.7 | 8.4 | 0.10 |
200 | 12 | 9.86 | 95.0 | 83.2 | 8.6 | 0.10 |
初级磨矿粒度(目) | 浮选 时间, 分钟 |
回收率 % | 浓缩品位 % | |||
重量 | 铜 | Mo | 铜 | Mo | ||
100 | 12 | 9.97 | 95.8 | 84.0 | 8.8 | 0.07 |
150 | 12 | 10.01 | 95.4 | 83.7 | 8.4 | 0.10 |
200 | 12 | 9.86 | ,无风险收益率{$2.16%(2023年1月17日)}} | 83.2 | 8.6 | 0.10 |
A large scale (10 kg) flotation test was then carried out to produce a rougher concentrate on which cleaner flotation could be carried out. The large-scale rougher concentrate recovered ± 8% of the weight, ± 96% of the Cu, and ± 64% of the Mo, assaying ± 10% Cu and 0.1% Mo.
随后进行了一次大规模(10 kg)浮选实验,以产生粗精矿,以便进行清浮选。大规模粗精矿回收了约8%的重量,约96%的铜,以及约64%的钼,铜含量约为10%,钼含量为0.1%。
Table 3: Large Scale (10 kg) Rougher Flotation Test Results at P80 of 100 Mesh
表3:P80为100目的大规模(10 kg)粗选浮选测试结果
Product | Recovery % | Concentrate Grade % | |||
Wt | Cu | Mo | Cu | Mo | |
Rougher Concentrate | 8.2 | 95.8 | 64.1 | 10.3 | 0.0998 |
Rougher Tailing | 91.8 | 4.2 | 35.9 | 0.04 | 0.005 |
产品 | 回收率 % | 浓缩品位 % | |||
重量 | 铜 | Mo | 铜 | Mo | |
粗精矿 | 8.2 | 95.8 | 64.1 | 10.3 | 0.0998 |
粗尾矿 | 91.8 | 4.2 | 35.9 | 0.04 | 0.005 |
Open cycle cleaner flotation tests were run in two stages on the rougher concentrate. Copper recoveries were 93.6% after the first stage and 90.5% after the second stage. Locked cycle tests are underway with projected cleaner recoveries of ± 95%. A concentrate grade of ± 22% Cu was achieved without regrind of the rougher concentrate and Forte is projecting ± 24% Cu in the locked cycle tests, demonstrating that a marketable grade copper concentrate can be produced with a simple conventional flowsheet.
开放循环清洁浮选测试分两个阶段在粗精矿上进行。第一阶段后铜回收率为93.6%,第二阶段后为90.5%。当前正在进行锁定循环测试,预计清洁回收率约为95%。在没有对粗精矿进行再磨的情况下,达到了约22%的铜品位,Forte预计锁定循环测试中的铜品位约为24%,这表明可以使用简单的传统流程生产出可销售的铜精矿。
Table 4: Open Circuit Cleaner Flotation Test Results without Regrind
表4:无再磨的开放电路清洁浮选测试结果
Product |
Flotation Time, min |
Recovery % | Concentrate Grade % | |||
Wt | Cu | Mo | Cu | Mo | ||
Cleaner 2 Con 1 | 1 | 27.6 | 69.4 | 62.6 | 22.52 | 0.21 |
Cleaner 2 Con 2 | 1 | 7.4 | 16.0 | 15.9 | 21.36 | 0.18 |
Cleaner 2 Con 3 | 1 | 2.8 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 19.28 | 0.15 |
Cleaner 2 Tail | - | 8.8 | 3.1 | 5.5 | 6.24 | 0.03 |
Cal Cleaner 1 Con | 4 | 46.4 | 93.6 | 89.6 | ||
Cleaner 1 Tail | - | 53.6 | 6.4 | 10.4 | 1.94 | 0.01 |
Cal. Rougher Con. | - | 100 | 100 | 100 | 9.92 | 0.08 |
产品 | 浮选 时间, 分钟 |
回收率 % | 浓缩品位 % | |||
重量 | 铜 | Mo | 铜 | Mo | ||
清洁2浓缩品位1 | 1 | 个月,利率为贷款基准利率加上0.5175%的点差。 | 69.4 | 62.6 | 22.52 | 0.21 |
清洁工 2 徽章 2 | 1 | 7.4 | 16.0 | 15.9 | 21.36 | 0.18 |
清洁工 2 连接 3 | 1 | 2.8 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 19.28 | 0.15 |
清洁工 2 尾 | - | 8.8 | 3.1 | 5.5 | 6.24 | 0.03 |
Cal Cleaner 1 Con | 4 | 46.4 | 93.6 | 89.6 | ||
清洁剂1尾 | - | 53.6 | 6.4 | 10.4 | 1.94 | 0.01 |
加利福尼亚粗矿精矿 | - | 100 | 100 | 100 | 9.92 | 0.08 |
Outlook
前景
With the early arrival of seasonal winter conditions, Hercules has initiated a shutdown of the Phase III program to ensure the safe demobilization of personnel and equipment. The Phase IV drill program is anticipated to commence as soon as weather conditions permit, with preparations already underway.
由于季节性冬季条件的提前到来,赫拉克勒斯已启动第三阶段程序的停工,以确保人员和设备的安全撤离。第四阶段钻探程序预计将在天气条件允许时尽快开始,相关准备工作已经在进行中。
Drill results from the remaining Phase III holes are still pending, and these, along with other exploration updates, are expected to be released through to early 2025.
剩余的第三阶段钻孔结果仍在待定中,预计这些结果以及其他勘探更新将发布至2025年初。
The Phase III program has successfully expanded the enrichment zone to 1.6 km by 1.1 km, demonstrating significant continuity which remains open in all directions. The Company has also identified a number of other new targets which will be further discussed in a coming news release. Notably, the recent identification of a new zone of shallow porphyry mineralization to the southeast, a zone of increasing grade to the north, and the discovery of a new hydrothermal breccia, all demonstrate the strong potential for near-term discovery of additional porphyry centers.
第三阶段计划成功将富集区扩展至1.6公里乘以1.1公里,展示出显著的连续性,向所有方向均未封闭。公司还确定了许多其他新目标,预计将在即将发布的资讯中进一步讨论。特别是,最近在东南部识别到的新浅层斑岩矿化区、向北增加的品位区,以及新发现的热液角砾岩,均显示出近期发现其他斑岩中心的强大潜力。
Qualified Person
资格人员
The scientific and technical information in this news release, including the sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information has been reviewed and approved for disclosure by Deepak Malhotra SME-RM, Director of Metallurgy, of Forte Dynamics. Mr. Maholtra is a "Qualified Person" independent of the Company within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
本资讯中的科学和技术信息,包括取样、分析和测试数据,已由Forte Dynamics的冶金主任Deepak Malhotra SME-Rm审核并批准公开。Maholtra先生是公司独立的“合格人员”,符合国家工具43-101-矿业项目披露标准的定义。
About Hercules Metals Corp.
关于Hercules Metals corp.
Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) is an exploration Company focused on developing Idaho's newest copper and silver district.
Hercules Metals Corp. (创业公司: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) 是一家专注于开发爱达荷州最新铜和白银地区的勘探公司。
The 100% owned Hercules Project located northwest of Cambridge, hosts the newly discovered Leviathan porphyry copper system, one of the most important discoveries in the region to date. The Company is well positioned for growth through continued drilling, supported by extensive historical and current exploration and a strategic investment by Barrick Gold.
位于剑桥西北部的Hercules项目是公司100%拥有的,其中包含新发现的Leviathan斑岩铜系统,是该地区迄今为止最重要的发现之一。公司通过持续的钻探和广泛的历史和现有勘探以及巴里克黄金的战略投资,为增长做好了充分的准备。
With the potential for significant scale, the Company's management and board of directors aims to build on its proven track record which includes the discovery and development of numerous precious metals projects worldwide.
凭借潜在的显著特点,该公司的管理层和董事会旨在继续构建其已证实的轨迹,包括全球众多贵金属项目的发现和开发。
For further information please contact:
要了解更多信息,请联系:
Nisha Hasan
Investor Relations
Telephone +1 (604) 425-1408
Email: nisha@herculesmetals.com
Nisha Hasan
投资者关系
电话+1(604)425-1408
电子邮件:nisha@herculesmetals.com
Chris Paul
CEO & Director
Telephone +1 (604) 670-5527
Email: chris@herculesmetals.com
Chris Paul
CEO & 董事
电话+1(604)670-5527
电子邮件:chris@herculesmetals.com
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. Any securities referred to herein have not and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws of an exemption from such registration is available.
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Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
关于前瞻性信息的免责声明本新闻稿可能含有前瞻性声明。这些声明包括涉及公司的管理团队和董事会,Sanoukou Gold Project,Tilemi磷酸盐项目以及公司未来计划和目标的影响。这些声明基于目前的预期和假设,面临着风险和不确定性。实际结果可能因为在我们的中期和最近的年度财务报告的管理讨论和分析部分或其他报告和文件及TSX Venture Exchange和适用的加拿大证券法规中所讨论的因素而有所不同。我们不承担任何更新前瞻性声明的义务,除非法律规定。
This news release contains certain information that may be deemed "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may include, without limitation, the expected execution of future exploration programs on the Property; assay results of future drill holes; results of operations, and the expected financial performance of the Company.
本新闻发布可能包含与公司有关的“前瞻性信息”,该信息根据适用的证券法意义而言涉及已知和未知的风险、不确定性和其他因素,这些因素可能导致公司的实际结果、绩效或成就或行业发展与预期结果、绩效或成就有所不同。前瞻性信息包括非历史事实的陈述,通常但不总是以“预计”、“计划”、“预测”、“相信”、“意图”、“估计”、“项目”、“潜在”和类似表达方式进行标识,或事件或条件“将”、“会”、“可能”、“可能”或“应该”发生。本新闻发布中的前瞻性信息可能包括但不限于,关于该财产未来勘探项目的预期执行情况、未来钻探孔的化验结果、经营业绩和公司的预期财务表现。
Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by its nature, forward-looking information involves assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.
尽管公司认为本新闻稿中包含的前瞻性信息基于今天的信息是合理的,但前瞻性信息的本质是涉及假设、已知和未知的风险、不确定性和其他因素,这可能会导致我们的实际结果、活动水平、业绩或成就或其他未来事件与任何未来结果、业绩或成就明显不同,这些结果、业绩或成就是前瞻性信息所表述或暗示的。
Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; the Covid-19 pandemic; adverse industry events; the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the timing of such approvals; that the Company maintains good relationships with the communities in which it operates or proposes to operate, future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; the risk that any of the assumptions prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as other assumptions risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company, including as set forth in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on the SEDAR+ website at .
此类假设、风险和不确定性的例子包括但不限于与一般经济状况、COVID-19大流行、不利行业事件、获得所需监管批准及其时间、公司与其运营所在或拟在运营的社区保持良好关系、采矿业部门未来的立法和监管发展、公司从内部和外部渠道获得足够的资本或无法以优惠条件获得足够的资本; 加拿大和全球的采矿业和市场;公司实施其业务策略的能力; 立场决定无效或不可靠的风险,这可能会导致计划工作推迟或停止,与数据解释相关的风险,矿物质储量地质学、等级和连续性的可能性,结果可能与公司的预期不一致,以及适用于矿物勘探和开发活动以及公司的其他假设风险和不确定性,包括在公司在SEDAR+网站上提交的公开披露文件中所载明的内容。
THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF HERCULES METALS AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE HERCULES METALS MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.
此新闻稿中包含的前瞻性信息代表Hercules Metals截至本新闻稿日发布的预期,因此可能随之发生变化。读者不应太重视前瞻性信息,并不应将此信息视为任何其他日期的信息。虽然Hercules Metals可能会选择,在符合适用法律规定的情况下更新此信息,但在任何特定时间都没有此义务。
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