TRX Gold Corporation (TSX: TRX) (NYSE American: TRX) (the “Company”
or “TRX Gold”) is pleased to announce completion of the ongoing
metallurgical variability study at the Buckreef Gold Project, with
results confirming excellent gold recovery rates for the processing
of sulphide ore.
Metallurgical test work on the sulphide ore
portion of the project, which encompasses approximately 90% of the
Buckreef Main Zone’s 2M+ ounce Au Measured and Indicated Mineral
Resources1, has been an important area of focus for the Company, as
it continues to grow the project in a low-risk, low-cost, value
accretive manner. To date, the Buckreef Gold team has successfully
delivered 3 mill expansions within 36 months, on time and on
budget, thanks to careful planning, budgeting and execution.
As a key value driver for the Company,
metallurgical testing began at the Buckreef Main Zone in June of
2021, whereby a straightforward flowsheet comprising of crush,
grind, flotation, regrind and CIL was developed by SGS Canada. In a
laboratory, bulk sample testing returned gold recoveries between
85.3% to 95.4%. In June 2023, a 6,500-tonne bulk sample of sulphide
ore was tested on site at Buckreef Gold’s existing milling
facility. This successful test reported gold recoveries from
sulphide ore of 88.7%.
The recent and much larger metallurgical
variability study reported on today, reiterates results from past
test work and is now of greater importance as Buckreef Gold is
processing a higher proportion of sulphide ore (80% sulphides to
20% oxides) at its newly expanded milling facility. As part of this
recent phase of test work, drill core from a total of 18
metallurgical holes (2,367 meters) along the entire strike of the
Buckreef Main deposit, were blended into samples that were then
processed and tested against variable benchmarks within a
processing flowsheet.
Highlights from the results demonstrate:
- A finer grind size leads to
a higher gold recovery: Batch samples were each milled at
a specific grind size, incrementally finer in nature, resulting in
incrementally improved gold recovery grades. The gold recovery rate
increased from 81.2% to 92.5% as the grind became finer from 80% -
53 μm to 80% - 5 μm.
- Results in line with
current operational performance: For the 15 composites
tested in the most recent study, recovery rates ranged from 79.9%
to 87.0% in a gravity + floatation + leaching test at a grind size
of 80% - 75 μm, which is consistent with what is being experienced
in current operations. Buckreef Gold is also experiencing a
relatively consistent tailings grade, regardless of head grade, at
a grind size of 80% - 75 μm, further supporting the fact that
increased grinding will lead to higher recovery rates.
- Increasing gold recovery in
current operations: Test results showed that the gold is
finely disseminated in the pyrite and improved recoveries can be
achieved by grinding finer below 25µm. An upgrade of the existing
Buckreef Process Plant flowsheet to include rougher flotation and
subsequent regrinding of the flotation concentrate, by using the
regrind ball mill, is expected to achieve the targeted grind size
(gold liberation) with minimum energy consumption. The Company is
currently developing finer grinding initiatives to achieve gold
recoveries above 90% for the sulphide ore.
- Low cost, self-funded
expansion opportunities can continue: The positive grade
recovery results and increased understanding of the metallurgy of
the Buckreef Gold Project, confirm the direction of TRX Gold’s
current business strategy, by providing the Company with the
optionality for near term mine planning of the sulphide ore. The
results also speak to the robust project economics of the Buckreef
Gold Project and the potential for future plant expansions and
optimizations.
- Positive outlook for
additional Mineral Resources: This also bodes well for
future Mineral Resource development, as the Company continues to
focus on development of other high-priority gold zones, such as
Anfield and Eastern Porphyry, where a 2023 brownfield exploration
program returned very similar geologic and mineralization
characteristics as the Main Zone, to which similar milling
processes could apply.
Stephen Mullowney, TRX Gold’s Chief Executive
Officer stated “I am pleased to report the results of the met
study, which we have been anxiously awaiting. We have just unlocked
a key value driver to the Buckreef Gold Project! These results
allow us to increase the profitability of the Buckreef Gold mining
operation, an already high-margin operation, by means of simple
milling circuit optimization and equipment redundancy. The finer
you grind, the more gold you’re going to recover. Currently, the
grind size is being maintained at 80% passing 75 microns, but as we
improve on this, our recoveries from the sulphides should increase
considerably! Consequently, further plant expansions will consider
potential efficiencies to increase recovery rates. The key is to
strike that optimal balance between recovery rates and
profitability.”
Sample Protocol
A 1 kg aliquot of each of Composite 3 to
Composite 14 at a crush size of 100% - 1.18 mm were blended to form
the master composite. The master composite was split into 1 kg
aliquots using a rotary splitter. Three 1 kg aliquots from the
master composite were milled in a rod mill to target grinds of 80%
- 53 µm, 80% - 38 µm and 80% -25 µm. A 200 g aliquot was split from
the 80% - 53 µm and wet milled in a ceramic charged ball mill to a
target grind of 80% - 5 µm. The grinds were checked by screening
the milled material on the specific screens and weighing the
oversize material. A 20 g aliquot of the 80% - 5 µm was submitted
to an external laboratory for particle size distribution. One 500 g
aliquot of the milled sample was submitted for the head chemical
analysis.
Qualified Person
Mr. William van Breugel, P.Eng, BASc (Hons),
technical Advisor to TRX Gold Corporation, is the Company’s
Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 “Standards of
Disclosure for Mineral Projects” (“NI 43-101”) and has reviewed and
assumes responsibility for the scientific and technical content in
this press release.
About TRX Gold Corporation
TRX Gold is rapidly advancing the Buckreef Gold
Project. Anchored by a Mineral Resource published in May 2020, the
project currently hosts an NI 43-101 Measured and Indicated Mineral
Resource of 35.88 MT at 1.77 g/t gold containing 2,036,280 oz of
gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 17.8 MT at 1.11g/t gold
for 635,540 oz of gold. The leadership team is focused on creating
both near-term and long-term shareholder value by increasing gold
production to generate positive cash flow. The positive cash flow
will be utilized for exploratory drilling with the goal of
increasing the current gold Resource base and advancing the
Sulphide Ore Project which represents 90% of current gold
Resources. TRX Gold’s actions are led by the highest ESG standards,
evidenced by the relationships and programs that the Company has
developed during its nearly two decades of presence in Geita
Region, Tanzania.
Investors
Christina Lalli Vice President, Investor
RelationsTRX Gold Corporation+1-438-399-8665
c.lalli@TRXgold.comwww.TRXgold.com
Forward-Looking and Cautionary
Statements
This press release contains certain
forward-looking statements as defined in the applicable securities
laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts,
are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are
frequently, but not always, identified by words such as “expects”,
“anticipates”, “believes”, “hopes”, “intends”, “estimated”,
“potential”, “possible” and similar expressions, or statements that
events, conditions or results “will”, “may”, “could” or “should”
occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements relate to future
events or future performance and reflect TRX Gold management’s
expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but
are not limited to, statements with respect to continued operating
cash flow, expansion of its process plant, estimation of mineral
resources, ability to develop value creating activities,
recoveries, subsequent project testing, success, scope and
viability of mining operations, the timing and amount of estimated
future production, and capital expenditure.
Although TRX Gold believes the expectations
expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on
reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of
future performance. The actual achievements of TRX Gold or other
future events or conditions may differ materially from those
reflected in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of
risks, uncertainties and other factors. These risks, uncertainties
and factors include general business, legal, economic, competitive,
political, regulatory and social uncertainties; actual results of
exploration activities and economic evaluations; fluctuations in
currency exchange rates; changes in costs; future prices of gold
and other minerals; mining method, production profile and mine
plan; delays in exploration, development and construction
activities; changes in government legislation and regulation; the
ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms and in a timely
manner or at all; contests over title to properties; employee
relations and shortages of skilled personnel and contractors; the
speculative nature of, and the risks involved in, the exploration,
development and mining business. These risks are set forth in
reports that TRX Gold files with the SEC and the various Canadian
securities authorities. You can review and obtain copies of these
filings from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml
and the Company’s profile on the System for Electronic Document
Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR+”) at www.sedarplus.ca.
The disclosure contained in this press release
of a scientific or technical nature relating to the Company’s
Buckreef Project has been summarized or extracted from the
technical report entitled “The National Instrument 43-101
Independent Technical Report, Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for
the Buckreef Gold Mine Project, Tanzania, East Africa for TRX Gold”
with an effective date (the “Effective Date”) of May 15, 2020 (the
“2020 Technical Report”). The 2020 Technical Report was prepared by
or under the supervision Mr. Wenceslaus Kutekwatekwa (Mining
Engineer, Mining and Project Management Consultant) BSc Hons
(Mining Eng.), MBA, FSAIMM, of Virimai Projects, and, Dr Frank
Crundwell, MBA, PhD, a Consulting Engineer, each of whom is an
independent Qualified Person as such term is defined in NI 43-101.
The information contained herein is subject to all of the
assumptions, qualifications and procedures set out in the 2020
Technical Report and reference should be made to the full details
of the 2020 Technical Report which has been filed with the
applicable regulatory authorities and is available on the Company’s
profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company did not complete any new
work that would warrant reporting material changes in the
previously reported Mineral Resource (“MRE”) and Mineral Reserve
statements during the prior reporting period. The Company has
engaged two globally recognized and respected mining consulting
groups to undertake a comprehensive review of the MRE, and economic
analysis which was previously conducted under the 2003 CIM code.
This in turn follows significant infill and exploration drilling,
plus other required technical work undertaken over the prior 18
months. This work is currently being undertaken to be compliant
with the November 2019 CIM Code for the Valuation of Mineral
Properties, which are different with respect to the 2003
guidelines. There can be no assurance that there will not be a
change in the MRE and Mineral Reserve as disclosed in the 2020
Technical Report after such work has been updated (in accordance
with the 2019 CIM code).
The information contained in this press release
is as of the date of the press release and TRX Gold assumes no duty
to update such information.
The TSX and NYSE America have not reviewed and
do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the
contents of this press release, which has been prepared by the
management of TRX Gold.
____________________1 Refer to Forward-Looking
and Cautionary Statements
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