MetalsTech proves it can deliver high gold recoveries at Sturec

MetalsTech (ASX:MTC) has achieved gold recoveries of up to 98 per cent during metallurgical testing of transition and sulphide ore from its Sturec gold mine in Slovakia.

Gold recoveries of between 52 per cent and 74 per cent were achieved using just gravity separation. This increased to 88 per cent after flotation and up to 98 per cent when the flotation tailings were subject to leaching.

“The sulphide ore at Sturec is the primary ore type and it has demonstrated excellent gold recoveries from simple gravity separation and flotation,” chairman Russell Moran said.

“This opens up a wide range of simple and low CAPEX processing opportunities for Sturec if this gold recovery profile continues.”

Drilling is progressing at a faster rate compared to drilling in the first hole of the program.

MetalsTech currently has a resource of 1 million ounces of gold and nearly 8 million ounces of silver at Sturec.

This is contained within an optimised pit shell at the mine, which historically produced over 1.5 million ounces of gold and 6.7 million ounces of silver, and excludes an underground resource that was defined outside the pit.

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Work underway on gold resource for new project

Comet Resources (ASX:CRL) has completed the first stage of its acquisition of the Santa Teresa gold project, where work is underway on re-assaying historical drill core and preparing a JORC-compliant resource.

The company now has a 50 per cent stake in the project and has the option to increase its ownership to 100 per cent within two years.

Historical drilling returned numerous high-grade hits such as 3.9m grading 39 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from a depth of 121m, 1m at 958.4g/t gold from 239m and 1m at 125.9g/t gold from 83m.

There is also significant opportunity to extend current mineralisation due to the under-explored nature of the tenements.

Previous production in the surrounding El Alamo district is estimated at between 100,000 and 200,000oz of gold.