Copper North Mining Corp (CVE:COL) told investors that metallurgical test work has boosted possibilities for the future mine plan for the Carmacks copper-gold-silver deposit in Yukon, Canada.
The company said that a higher leach temperature of 80 degrees Celsius would improve copper recovery and eliminate the need for a SART - sulphidization, acidification, recycling and thickening - circuit and would simplify the cyanide circuit for leach recovery of gold and silver.
Findings from the test work will now be integrated into the agitated leach planning, and this will feed into a new preliminary economic assessment (PEA).
That assessment is expected in early May.
It will be based on the project’s mineral resources in zones 1, 4, and 7. The company highlights that the PEA will evaluate a seven year mine life.
And a recent new mineral resource estimate - of zones 2000S, 12 and 13 – will not feature in the PEA, as those areas are earmarked for a later development plan.
The company highlighted that additional definition drilling is warranted for zones 2000S, 12 and 13, and further metallurgical work would also be required in those areas.