Helix Resources (ASX:HLX) has conducted a Scoping-level metallurgical testwork at the Gold Basin deposit in the US, which has shown ‘strong’ gold recoveries comparable to many heap-leach operations in the southwestern US.
All of the results indicate Gold Basin mineralisation is a rapid leaching material with low preg-robbing characteristics. When agglomerated, it meets industry criteria for flow rates at dump heights up to 40m.
Bottle roll leach tests on samples from Cyclopic returned an average extraction of 72% gold and a maximum extraction of 86% gold.
The column leach outcomes achieved gold extractions up to 80% on Cyclopic diamond core composite samples. After seven days in leach, gold extractions ranged between 50 and 70%.
Executive Chairman Mike Povey says at Gold Basin, the oxide gold mineralisation occurs from surface and is notably clean, with no detectable contaminants.
“These results confirm there are no metallurgical barriers to establishing a heap-leach gold extraction operation,” Povey says.
“The material is highly amenable to heap leaching, showing excellent recoveries combined with low cyanide consumption – both of which significantly enhance the project’s future development potential.
“With a resource update underway and substantial exploration upside across kilometres of known structures, we are confident that Gold Basin will play an important role in our growth pipeline.”
Gold Basin – located in the Walker Lane Gold Trend of Nevada – has a current resource of 8.35 million tonnes containing 299,800 ounces at an average grade of 1.12 grams per tonne gold.
Helix Resources is a junior mineral explorer focused on copper and gold discoveries.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Helix Resources
