Argent Minerals Ltd (ASX:ARD) has shown with metallurgical test work that primary material from its Kempfield Polymetallic Project in New South Wales can be successfully separated.
Test work showed separation into potentially marketable commercial grade zinc and lead concentrates also containing silver and gold.
Importantly, this supports Kempfield as an economically viable polymetallic project with zinc, silver, lead and gold revenue streams from separate saleable zinc and lead concentrates.
Results achieved using standard flotation process
High-quality commercial grade separate concentrates were achieved with high recovery rates.
Notably, an industry-standard flotation process was used, implying potentially favourable future capital and operating costs.
According to these results, zinc becomes the major contributor to potential revenue, followed by silver, lead and gold.
The results de-risk the project through the substantial boost in project economics.
More testing planned on different parts of Kempfield
The next steps for metallurgical testing are envisaged to include variability testing across the various mineralogical domains of the Kempfield deposit.
This will require additional samples to be collected through cost-effective reverse circulation drilling.
Drilling to proceed as the top priority
Argent has determined that drilling is to proceed at Kempfield as the top priority with planning underway.
The drill plan and strategy will be released when ready.