Western Gold Resources (ASX:WGR) has received metallurgical testwork results which Managing Director Warren Thorne says further de-risks what is an advanced asset at the Gold Duke Project in Western Australia.
The results, completed on material from the project, highlights the potential for “excellent” gold recoveries through a conventional crush, grind, and carbon in leach (CIL) treatment route.
Western Gold reports cyanide leach tests achieved 48-hour gold extractions of 93.3% and 95.1% for oxide ore.
Thorne says the results are important because it confirms that the Gold Duke ore is amenable to a simple CIL processing route, setting for a “strong future.”
“The chosen samples represent resource grade and geographical spread across the deposit, and the testwork objectives were professionally delivered by ALS,” he says.
Western Gold is now requesting pricing for the mining of the project, while also continuing discussions with surrounding processing plants for toll treatment and ore purchase.
The company intends to conduct viscosity and oxygen uptake testwork, as well as tailings characterisation work. Once completed, reverse circulation resource, grade control, and sterilisation drilling will be completed across the project to further de-risk the asset.
During September, the company released a Scoping Study which revealed Gold Duke could deliver a pre-tax net present value of $38 million with an internal rate of return of 617% at $3,500 per ounce gold price.
The metallurgical program aimed to provide details across the optimised pit areas contained in the Scoping Study.
Western Gold Resources is a junior mineral explorer focused on its highly prospective brownfields project, Gold Duke, which lies west of Wiluna in Western Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Western Gold Resources
