Canada’s Faraday Copper (TSX:FDY) has achieved high recoveries of up to 95% from samples taken from its Copper Creek Project in Arizona, US.
The higher recoveries were achieved by using a substantially larger grind size than what was assumed in the Preliminary Economic Assessment on a sulphide composite from the American Eagle area by applying coarse particle flotation (CPF).
The goal of the test work was to evaluate the metallurgical performance of potential open pit mill feed material from the American Eagle area through coarse particle flotation across an extended spectrum of grind sizes.
Results include locked cycle copper recoveries above 92% to a copper concentrate grade of around 31%, which Faraday says confirms a coarse grind and high copper recovery flowsheet with a “highly marketable, clean concentrate”.
Zach Allwright, Vice President of projects and evaluations, says the metallurgical results represent a pivotal point in the technical advancement of Copper Creek.
“The ability to maintain very high copper recoveries at a coarse primary grind across a wide range of feed grades demonstrates the near-term potential for enhanced project economics,” he says.
“The test work completed to date demonstrates that the mill throughput rate could be significantly increased in a capital efficient manner, while reducing operating costs and reinforcing our commitment to sustainability.”
Reduced costs include cutting ball mill grinding energy usage by about 50%.
Coarse grind and CPF can be used to maintain high copper recoveries across a full spectrum of feed grades.
Faraday notes that applying a 350 micron (µm) primary grind with CPF scavenging returns comparable copper recovery to a conventional flotation circuit with a 200 µm primary grind.
The metallurgical program was undertaken by ALS Metallurgy, with oversight by Ausenco Engineering, using samples from the phase-three drilling program, which is ongoing and focusing on growing the open pit resource.
Faraday has completed over 30,000m of drilling since the last resource estimate was released and has since uncovered new zones of mineralisation and multiple untested targets.
The explorer, which has a market capitalisation of C$160.2 million ($176.6 million), plans to continue metallurgical test work on new targets.
Allwright says Faraday will incorporate recent drilling results and an optimised flowsheet approach into an updated technical study due for release in the second half of 2025.
The report will incorporate updated geological, geotechnical, economic and metallurgical datasets.
Other work being undertaken includes laboratory and field-based characterisation programs to optimise waste management strategies and the expansion of the environmental baseline data collection program including water sampling and the installation of additional monitoring wells, stream gauges, and piezometers in drill holes.
The Copper Creek Project, which is Faraday’s flagship asset, is considered one of the largest undeveloped copper projects in North America with open pit and bulk underground mining potential.
The company will be exhibiting at this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) event being held from 2-5 March in Toronto, Canada.
The annual award winning convention brings together up to 30,000 attendees from over 130 countries for its educational programming, networking events, as well as business and investment opportunities.
Mining.com.au is an official media partner for the upcoming event. To register for PDAC 2025 click here.
Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au
Images: Faraday Copper
