i-80 Gold Provides Positive Metallurgical Results from Ruby Hill and Golden Hill
i-80 Gold announced positive metallurgical results from its Ruby Hill and Golden Hill projects in Nevada. Blue Coast Research completed the study on samples from these properties, revealing high zinc recoveries up to 96%, lead recoveries up to 97.9%, and silver recoveries up to 85%. Gold recoveries from oxidized zones were 86.8% for Upper Hilltop and 85.1% for Golden Hill. Future work will focus on the Mineral Point deposit at Ruby Hill, with significant gold and silver resources. Initial polymetallic resource estimates are planned as part of mine development strategies. The results of flotation tests showed high-grade concentrates and positive recoveries, paving the way for future resource estimates and economic studies.
- High zinc recoveries of up to 96%.
- Lead recoveries reached up to 97.9%.
- Silver recoveries were as high as 85%.
- Gold recoveries were 86.8% for Upper Hilltop and 85.1% for Golden Hill.
- Future work to include additional metallurgical work on the Mineral Point deposit, which holds significant gold and silver resources.
- Initial polymetallic resource estimates planned for mine development strategies.
- None.
Insights
The positive metallurgical results from i-80 Gold's Ruby Hill and Golden Hill projects demonstrate a significant enhancement in the understanding of the deposits, which is important for future mine planning and economic studies. These results are promising, especially the high recoveries of zinc, lead and silver from the sulphide dominant composites, with zinc recoveries reaching up to
The low levels of deleterious metals and silica in the composites further add to the attractiveness of these deposits. Low deleterious metal content minimizes processing challenges and reduces costs, while low silica content can enhance concentrate quality, making it easier to sell in the market.
Moving forward, the planned additional metallurgical work on the Mineral Point deposit, with its large measured and indicated resources, could further validate the economic viability of these projects. Investors should keep an eye on updates regarding resource estimates and mine development plans, as these will be pivotal in determining the long-term potential of i-80 Gold's projects.
The metallurgical results from i-80 Gold's Ruby Hill and Golden Hill projects are likely to have a positive impact on the company’s valuation. High recovery rates and the presence of significant resources in these deposits provide a strong foundation for future revenue generation. Zinc and lead are key industrial metals and the high recovery rates for these elements can boost the company's revenue streams significantly.
The presence of a large measured and indicated resource base, particularly the 3.2 million ounces of gold and 97.5 million ounces of silver at the Mineral Point deposit, positions i-80 Gold as a substantial player in the mining sector. This can attract investor interest, especially given the strong demand for gold and silver as safe-haven assets.
Additionally, successful future metallurgical work and resource expansion can lead to an upward revision of the company's stock price as it de-risks the projects and demonstrates economic feasibility. However, investors should also consider the capital expenditure required for mine development and potential market fluctuations in commodity prices.
The BCR Study was commissioned to enhance the understanding of the various deposits for planning purposes related to the recovery of the multiple metals contained within each zone. Locked cycle testing was completed on sulphide dominant composites from the Hilltop (Upper, Lower and East), and the FAD (East, West and Gold Hill Oxide) Zones. Highlights from the Company's 2023/2024 metallurgical programs include:
- High grade zinc and/or lead concentrates were produced with positive recoveries for each of the four sulphide dominant composites – with zinc recoveries of up to
96.0% , lead recoveries of up to97.9% and silver recoveries of up to85.0% - Positive gold recoveries from cyanidation were achieved for the upper oxidized mineralized zones, realizing
86.8% for Upper Hilltop and85.1% for Golden Hill - Notably, the composites contain low silica and low deleterious metals, enhancing the expected potential of future concentrates
- Work in 2024 will include additional metallurgical work on the Mineral Point deposit at Ruby Hill that is host to a measured and indicated resource of 3.2 M ounces of gold and 97.5 M ounces of silver (203.2 M tonnes, 0.49 g/t Au, 14.9 g/t Ag) and an inferred resource of 1.9 M ounces of gold and 72.3 M ounces of silver (157.3 M tonnes, 0.37 g/t Au, 14.3 g/t Ag). This makes it one of the largest gold/silver deposits in
the United States .1
__________ | |
1 | See Ruby Hill Technical report title "NI 43-101 Report on 2021 Ruby Hill Mineral Resource Estimate Eureka Country, |
The Ruby Hill and Golden Hill Properties collectively represent one of the Company's primary assets - host to multiple gold, base metal and precious metal-rich polymetallic deposits and mineralization. Drilling completed between 2022 and 2024 at the Blackjack, Hilltop and FAD zones intersected significant high‑grade mineralization with all zones remaining open for expansion. Initial polymetallic (base metal) resource estimates are being planned as part of the Company's mine development strategy for these properties with mine workings accessing both the gold and polymetallic deposits.
"We are encouraged by the positive recovery of the multiple metals contained within the Hilltop and FAD deposits", stated Todd Esplin, Technical Director of i-80 Gold. "We believe that this work will be included in future resource estimates, mine planning and economic studies."
The scope of the program completed by BCR included chemical and mineralogical characterization, comminution test work, cyanidation test work and bench top flotation testing. A total of eight samples were submitted for both chemical and mineralogical characterization. Chemical characterization for the samples is shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1 - Summary of head chemical characterization of all composites
Sample ID | Au (g/t) | Ag (g/t) | Pb(%) | Zn(%) | Fe(%) | S2- (%) |
Upper Hill Top Oxide (Upper HT Ox) | 10.89 | 395 | 14.7 | 2.1 | 15.2 | 2.2 |
Lower Hill Top (Lower HT) | 1.74 | 336 | 9.7 | 12.9 | 11.6 | 14.7 |
East Hill Top (HTE) | 0.04 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 11.3 | 10.4 | 11.6 |
Upper Hill Top Sulphide (Upper HT Sul) | 0.74 | 475 | 27.2 | 11.9 | 11.5 | 15.9 |
Upper Hill Top Sulphide-B (Upper HT Sul-B) | 2.88 | 708 | 37.2 | 8.9 | 13.9 | 19.1 |
FAD West (FAD_W) | 6.02 | 396 | 6.4 | 21.2 | 22.4 | 24.3 |
FAD East (FAD_E) | 4.68 | 249 | 3.9 | 14.4 | 18.8 | 21.1 |
Gold Hill Oxide (GH_Ox) | 2.27 | 21.1 | 0.4 | 4.5 | 12.6 | 0.1 |
Differences in the chemical and mineralogical properties between each of the zones resulted in metallurgical testing tailored to the specific characteristics of each sample. Base metal rich (Zinc and Lead) sulphide dominant mineralization occurs in the Hilltop, FAD and Blackjack samples with higher pyrite (and gold) in the FAD samples. Non-sulphide lead (cerussite) is present in the oxidized portion of the Upper Hilltop Zone. Only trace sulphides were found in the Golden Hill oxide gold mineralization.
A cyanidation program was initiated for near-surface, oxidized mineralization, from the Upper Hilltop and Golden Hill oxide gold zone that demonstrate that both are amenable to cyanidation. Whole rock bottle roll tests on these composites achieved positive cyanidation gold recoveries of
Flotation Test Work
Sulphide dominant samples (Lower HT, HTE, FAD_E, FAD_W) underwent extensive floatation test work and utilized a conventional sequential lead-zinc flow sheet depending on the mineralogy. This testing ultimately culminated in successful locked cycle tests being conducted on each composite with high grade zinc and/or lead concentrates being produced at acceptable recoveries. All lead concentrates produced grades at
Table 2 - Summary of program final flotation results for selected composites
Composite | Test ID | Product | Assays | Distribution as % of | ||||||
Au | Ag | Pb | Zn | Au | Ag | Pb | Zn | |||
Lower HT | LCT-2 | Pb Clnr 2 Conc | 6.8 | 2330 | 75.4 | 4.3 | 37.9 | 85.0 | 97.9 | 3.9 |
Zn Clnr 2 Conc | 1.4 | 191 | 0.4 | 56.9 | 13.9 | 11.9 | 1.0 | 89.8 | ||
HTE | LCT-3 | Zn Clnr 3 Conc | - | 9.4 | - | 53.9 | - | 53.0 | - | 96.0 |
FAD_E | LCT-6 | Pb Clnr 3 Conc | 3.0 | 2598 | 60.6 | 8.9 | 3.4 | 63.4 | 88.8 | 3.8 |
Zn Clnr 3 Conc | 1.0 | 222 | 0.9 | 54.9 | 4.9 | 21.7 | 5.2 | 92.6 | ||
FAD_W | LCT-5 | Pb Clnr 3 Conc | 2.8 | 2834 | 58.4 | 11.3 | 4.9 | 76.1 | 89.2 | 6.2 |
Zn Clnr 3 Conc | 1.5 | 198 | 1.5 | 54.2 | 7.2 | 14.8 | 6.3 | 82.3 | ||
Upper HT Ox | F-29 | Pb Clnr 3 Conc | 91.7 | 3840 | 77.1 | - | 17.3 | 22.4 | 13.2 | - |
Oxide Clnr 3 Conc | 17.2 | 1086 | 61.9 | - | 17.6 | 34.5 | 57.5 | - | ||
Combined Pb Conc. | 28.7 | 1514 | 64.3 | - | 34.9 | 56.9 | 70.7 | - |
The oxide/transition samples in the Upper Hilltop Zone (Upper HTOx and Upper HTSul) required a different approach due to the more complex mineralogy owing to the presence of cerussite (lead carbonate). For these samples, a sulphidization stage was added after a lead-pyrite flotation flowsheet, that resulted in a significant improvement in lead recovery compared to a conventional lead sulphide (only) flowsheet. A successful batch test using this approach was conducted on Upper HTOx (F-29 shown above) which produced a combined lead concentrate grading
Based on the work completed by BCR on the FAD mineralization, the majority of the gold mineralization reports to the rougher and cleaner tails. The scope of work focused solely on the base metal mineralization and future test work will include a focus on gold recoveries from polymetallic mineralization at FAD.
Blackjack Flotation Test Work:
In 2008 Barrick Gold commissioned G & T Metallurgical Services Ltd to conduct flotation test work on Blackjack Lead-Zinc mineral composites.
Composition of Low and High Zinc Composites
Composite | Assay in % or g/t | ||||||||||
Cu | Pb | Zn | Fe | Ag | Au | S | C | As | Pb(ox) | Zn(ox) | |
Low Zinc | 0.022 | 0.72 | 3.7 | 16.5 | 24 | 0.45 | 17.4 | 0.05 | 0.26 | 0.13 | 0.17 |
High Zinc | 0.029 | 2.45 | 24.5 | 4.1 | 196 | 0.47 | 16.0 | 1.07 | 0.03 | 0.19 | 0.13 |
Note: Aq and Au assays are reported in g/tonne, all others are in percent. |
The lock cycle testing on the high zinc composite produced good metallurgical results with approximately
Future work will look to build upon the previously completed work and optimize recoveries from the Blackjack deposit.
Note - Blue Coast Research Ltd was not involved or did not conduct any Blackjack metallurgical flotation test work
Overall, this program showed that the samples tested responded positively to flotation and future metallurgical work recommended by BCR includes the evaluation of a larger number of samples to better understand the project, completing a larger and more rigorous comminution study to understand milling requirements, conduct additional metallurgical work on Blackjack samples, conduct D-IMS analysis of Lower HT, FAD_E and FAD_W to quantify the amount of gold mineralization locked with pyrite, and determine if primary grinding inert media can improve selectivity in HTE and Lower HT samples.
Hole ID and Location of Composites used in Testing
Composite | Hole ID | Easting Nad83 UTM | Northing Nad83 | Elevation (m) |
Lower HT | iRH22-38 | 587348 | 4375336 | 1979 |
iRH22-39 | 587346 | 4375338 | 1978 | |
iRH22-40 | 587346 | 4375348 | 1978 | |
iRH22-41 | 587345 | 4375342 | 1978 | |
HTE | iRH22-61 | 587520 | 4375184 | 1994 |
FAD_E | PC22-07 | 587179 | 4373123 | 2102 |
FAD_W | GH21-03 | 587090 | 4373069 | 2115 |
GH21-04 | 587114 | 4373182 | 2114 | |
GH21-05 | 587114 | 4373177 | 2114 | |
PC22-01 | 587033 | 4373235 | 2107 | |
Upper HT Ox | iRH22-54 | 587456 | 4375134 | 1999 |
iRH22-55 | 587618 | 4375134 | 2006 | |
iRH22-70 | 587388 | 4375282 | 1986 | |
High and Low Zn G & T Sample | BRH-75C | 587677 | 4375547 | 1738 |
Sample material was selected through reviewing drill core visually and geochemically to determine differences in mineralization styles. Intervals were then selected on the basis of being representative of the particular composite within each mineralized zone.
Joint Venture Update
The negotiation of definitive documentation related to the previously announced proposed joint venture of the Ruby Hill Property continues to advance. Metallurgical work completed to-date as part of the due diligence program related to this partnership has indicated recoveries similar to those achieved in the BCR work.
Qualified Person
Tim George, PE, is the Qualified Person for the technical information contained in this press release and is a Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. George has reviewed and approved this press release.
About i-80 Gold Corp.
i-80 Gold Corp. is a
Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including but not limited to, the results of the Company's 2023/2024 metallurgical programs, the interpretation of such results and management's expectations based on such results; potential relating to metallurgical recovery rates, the expansion or mineral resources at Ruby Hill and Golden Hill and the potential of the Ruby Hill and Golden Hill projects, the timing and results of technical and economic studies and the completion of the Ruby Hill joint venture transaction. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.
Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to: material adverse changes, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations.
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SOURCE i-80 Gold Corp
FAQ
What were the zinc recovery rates in i-80 Gold's recent metallurgical tests?
What were the lead recovery rates reported by i-80 Gold for the Ruby Hill and Golden Hill projects?
How much gold recovery was achieved in the oxidized zones of the Ruby Hill and Golden Hill projects?
What future work is planned for the Mineral Point deposit at Ruby Hill?