Amex Exploration (TSXV: AMX) has announced impressive gold recovery rates exceeding 95% from all samples, with rates surpassing 98% on high-grade samples obtained from its Perron project. Situated approximately 110 km north of Royun-Noranda in the Abitibi region of Quebec, the Perron project has yielded promising results from extensive testing.
Samples extracted from the Denise, Gratien, Grey Cat, and Team gold zones underwent rigorous evaluation through gravity, flotation, and leaching processes. Utilizing a Knelson MD-3 concentrator, gold and silver recovery was achieved at a coarse primary grind, with 80% passing 184-416 μm. Notably, all samples exhibited a high degree of amenability to gravity recovery, ranging from 34% in lower grades to an impressive 72% in higher grades.
In addition to gravity recovery, a single flotation test was conducted on a 2-kg subsample of each gravity tailing, wherein potassium amyl xanthate and methyl isobutyl carbinol were utilized at a natural pH for a duration of 10 minutes. Under these conditions, an additional 70.1% to 93.1% of the gold was successfully recovered.
Amex further highlighted the potential of direct cyanidation of the gravity tailings, suggesting comparable recovery rates to flotation methods.
Furthermore, the flotation test extended to half of the flotation tailings, which were subjected to regrinding to 70% passing 90 μm and subsequent leaching in a bottle roll for 48 hours at pH 10.5 to 11.0. Cyanidation under these conditions yielded excellent results, with recovery rates ranging from 79.0% to 96.7% of gold from the tails.
Eldorado Gold (TSX: ELD; NYSE: EGO) recently demonstrated its confidence in Amex Exploration’s potential by investing C$15 million in charity flow-through shares of Amex, thereby acquiring a significant 9.9% interest in the company. This strategic investment underscores the growing interest and support within the industry for Amex’s endeavors in advancing gold exploration and recovery methodologies at the Perron project.
