Xanadu Mines (ASX:XAM) has completed metallurgical testwork for its Kharmagtai Copper-Gold Project in Mongolia, which shows the project’s capability of producing a “high-quality gold-rich” copper concentrate.
The testwork, which is part of the Prefeasibility Study (PFS) and has now been completed, shows the operation can utilise a conventional flowsheet to produce saleable concentrate.
Xanadu can achieve recoveries of up to 81% copper and 63% gold using simple flotation. The gold recoveries can be increased by a further 7% using a carbon-in-leach process.
Testwork also shows concentrate grades of up to 25% copper and 25 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, with very low impurities.
Managing Director Colin Moorhead says the testwork results are within the company’s expectations, delivering a high-quality copper concentrate that is expected to be in high demand.
“This concludes a comprehensive metallurgical testwork which aimed to define the optimal ore processing pathway for the key deposits at Kharmagtai,” Moorhead says.
“Results of the testwork and associated process design criteria have been used by DRA Global to develop the PFS plant design and associated capital and operating expenditure.
“We look forward to communicating these results when we release the PFS in the coming weeks.”
The PFS program was built on previously conducted testwork, which was used to define the mineral resource and the 2022 Scoping Study.
Xanadu says the more substantial PFS dataset provides an appropriate basis for overall recovery, product quality, and process engineering design.
Xanadu Mines, which has a market capitalisation of $94.38 million, says the overall goal of the program was to complete testwork and trade-off studies to uncover the optimal ore processing pathway and flowsheet for the Kharmagtai deposits.
The Kharmagtai Project lies in the Omnogovi Province and sits within the South Gobi porphyry copper province, which hosts most of the known porphyry deposits in the South Gobi region of Mongolia.
Xanadu Mines is a dual-listed explorer that operates in Mongolia. The company is focused on large-scale copper-gold discoveries and low-cost inventory growth.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Xanadu Mines
