Papillon Resources: early results show 95% gold recoveries using CIL process at Fekola in Mali

Papillon Resources (ASX:PIR) has returned positive metallurgical results from recent preliminary test work, which indicates the mineralisation at its Fekola Gold Discovery in Mali is very amenable to gold extraction using a conventional carbon-in-leach process to deliver recoveries of greater than 95%.
This would be particularly encouraging to Papillon as it is very positive step in the preliminary technical assessment of the Fekola Project and potentially favourably impacting development parameters. 

Independent metallurgical test work carried out by Perth-based laboratory Nagrom used 14 individual composite samples from a range of drillholes across Fekola.

The high carbon-in-leach recoveries and rapid extraction of gold into solution from the initial metallurgical test work conducted suggests the gold mineralisation at Fekola is particularly suitable to the carbon-in-leach process.

Greater than 90% recovery was returned for all samples tested as was a rapid recovery time, less than 87.5% extraction in less than six hours for all samples tested.

The results also indicated free milling gold mineralisation, which provides potential for gravity circuit recovery.

Papillon said there was also no initial evidence of refractory gold mineralisation.

Initial drill results from Fekola have been positive and have identified an anomalous, gold bearing zone extending over a strike length of 1.6 kilometres, with relatively wide intercepts containing attractive grades.

Mineralisation remains open along strike and at depth. Exploration results have also identified a number of additional targets within close proximity to Fekola.

The extensive infill drilling campaign which Papillon has planned, as well as the early initiation of baseline studies, which will be run in parallel, should allow the company to make rapid progress in the exploration, appraisal and, in time, the optimal potential development of the project.

In addition to analysing and reporting results from the current set of tests, Nagrom made a number of recommendations for future test work.

These include:

- Utilising a coarser grind size to examine the effect of particle size on gold recovery and leach kinetics;
- Duplicating tests with a lower concentration of Sodium Cyanide; and
- Application of gravity concentration on certain samples.

Papillon said it would aim to cover these recommendations during the next batch of testing.
Managing director Alan Campbell said more thorough metallurgical test work would hopefully provide more information on gravity recoveries, finer grind sizes or less concentration of cyanide.
"It's early stages obviously at this point, but they're encouraging results to date," he told Proactive Investors.

Originally published at: http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/20581/papillon-resources-early-results-show-95-gold-recoveries-using-cil-process-at-fekola-in-mali--20581.html