Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX:PDI) has taken a further step towards de-risking its flagship Bankan Project in Guinea with “excellent” gold recoveries from initial metallurgical test-work.
A detailed, scoping level metallurgical test-work program was carried out on samples from the NE Bankan and Bankan Creek prospects focused on finding the ideal method to break down gold mineralised intercepts, including softer saprolite mineralisation and harder fresh rock mineralisation.
Results included:
- Cyanide leach recoveries from all gold mineralisation types ranged from 94.2% to 98.5% under optimised conditions (75-micron grind, 24 hours)
- Very good leaching kinetics with at least 94% of extractable gold dissolution within 24 hours
- Gravity gold recoveries ranging from 13.1% to 37% with values from the tonalite and tonalite skarn ore ranging from 19.6% to 37%
Start of something big
Predictive managing director Paul Roberts said the metallurgical test-work results strengthened the company’s confidence in the wider Bankan project.
“This is a high impact announcement and a major de-risking event for the Bankan project,” he said.
“To have achieved excellent gold recoveries and clear indications that the deposit can provide free-milling ore to a conventional mill is a critical step forward.
“Our next important step is to release our maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) for the two Bankan deposits by the end of this month.
“We believe that the combination of these initial metallurgical results with the maiden MRE outcomes will substantially enhance appreciation of the economic potential of the Bankan project.
“At the same time, it is very clear that we are still in the early stages of the Bankan discovery journey and understanding its full-scale potential.
“We are actively exploring to expand our gold discoveries both at depth beneath the two Bankan deposits and along the entire 35 kilometre-long Bankan structural trend.”
Mineral resource estimate imminent
The mineral resource estimate process for NE Bankan and Bankan Creek is well underway, with the report expected by the end of this month.
Meanwhile, Predictive is conducting diamond drilling of deep holes within and below the newly recognised high-grade gold zone at NE Bankan.
The company has continued to add to the potential of Bankan through broad, high-grade results of up to 34 metres at 3.7 g/t gold from 6 metres at the Bankan Creek deposit.
- Daniel Paproth