The Eriez HydroFloat test work for evaluating coarse ore flotation has demonstrated excellent results for one of the key uplift scenarios defined in the Kharmagtai Scoping Study1. It has effectively improved upfront processing efficiencies, producing a coarse reject of up to 44% by mass for the main mineralised sulphide orebody.
Highlights
Testwork for assessing coarser grind options (P80 grind sizes ranging between 150 to 450 microns (-microm) for Kharmagtai sulphide mineralisation, using HydroFloat achieved compelling results: Up to 94% copper and 92% gold recovered in the HydroFloat stage; Enabling a peak coarse reject of 43.8% by mass, at 450-microm and Rougher recoveries of 91% for copper and 83% for gold, at 250 -microm.
Coarse ore flotation may offer numerous benefits for Kharmagtai, including: Reduced power and water intensity per tonne of ore processed; Increased mill capacity and overall plant capacity for an increased production rate; Reduction in consumables, such as grinding media and reagents and Significant improvement in tailings stability with the production of coarser tails, as well as water recycling at the back end of the plant.
HydroFloat provides the opportunity for Kharmagtai to recover valuable minerals in the 150 to 200-microm range that processing through conventional flotation alone is unable to perform.
More than 70 HydroFloat units are commercially used in global operations, including
Xanadu's Executive Chairman and Managing Director,
'These results provide strong support for our Scoping Study uplift scenario using coarse ore flotation to improve overall project economics. This uplift is achieved through increasing throughput and accelerating mining and processing rates which ultimately accelerate revenue generation at Kharmagtai.
It also promises to enhance the environmental sustainability aspects of Kharmagtai through the early separation of barren material and a coarser grind size, allowing for significant reduction in power and water requirements, and better tailings management. Given this separation method has been used successfully by bulk miners for over 20 years, we intend to leverage those learnings at Kharmagtai. We are now working with DRA, our process design engineers, to determine the optimal timing to include HydroFloat in the processing flowsheet, and maximise its beneficial impact for Kharmagtai.'
Coarse Ore Flotation Metallurgical Testwork Program
Summary
The existing conventional flowsheet involves crushing and grinding ore to a P80 size of 150-microm for Stage 1 (15Mtpa in Scoping Study) and 212-microm for Stage 2 (30Mtpa in Scoping Study)2.
Testwork to investigate coarser grind options was completed at ALS' laboratory in
Description
Composite samples were prepared from core drilled at each of the Stockwork Hill, White Hill and Copper Hill deposits Kharmagtai. Sample preparation consisted of combining samples 'as received' into a single 200kg composite, crushing to 3.35mm, followed by rotary blending and splitting and then grinding individual samples to 150 (finer), 250, 350 and 450 (coarser) -microm.
HydroFloat Results
The coarse ore flotation evaluation included head grade analysis and rougher flotation recovery testwork on a composite sample taken from varying deposits, depths, sulphide and alteration types to test coarser grind options.
As the grind size gets coarser, less fines are produced and hence the XF overflow mass reduces from 52.9% by weight at 150 -microm, to 36.6% at 450 -microm. In a full-scale flowsheet, the XF overflow would join the HF overflow for downstream conventional rougher and cleaner flotation.
Both Cu and Au recoveries increase as the grind size becomes finer, and at the same time the HydroFloat overflow Cu and Au grades increase from 0.88% Cu to 1.24% Cu and from 0.97g/t Au to 1.70g/t Au, demonstrating improved liberation at the finer sizes. The HydroFloat underflow grade (final tailings) reduce from 0.08% Cu to 0.03% Cu and 0.08g/t Au to 0.06g/t Au as the sizing gets finer.
About
Xanadu is an ASX and TSX listed Exploration company operating in
Contact:
Executive Chairman and Managing Director
Tel: +61 2 8280 7497
Email: colin.moorhead@xanadumines.com
Competent Person Statements
The information in this announcement that relates to exploration results is based on information compiled by Dr
The information in this Announcement that relates to metallurgy and metallurgical testwork has been reviewed by
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