Mechanical Sorting Tests Result in Significant Upgrades at Novo’s Beatons Creek Project
January 29 2020 - 7:02AM
Novo Resources Corp. (“
Novo” or
the “
Company”) (TSX-V: NVO; OTCQX: NSRPF) has
recently conducted laboratory-scale mechanical sorting tests on
Beaton’s Creek bulk sample material at Steinert Global’s
(“
Steinert”) Bibra Lake and Canning Vale testing
facilities in Perth, Western Australia. Initial test results are
discussed in this news release.
Highlights:
- Nuggety gold occurring in Beaton’s Creek conglomerates is finer
grained (generally sub 1 mm) than gold at Novo’s Egina and Karratha
projects (generally over 1 mm). Nonetheless, initial
laboratory-scale tests indicate an upgrade of gold into
significantly reduced mass is achievable.
- Test work was conducted on a 2.8 tonne split of crushed (-50
mm) and screened Beaton’s Creek bulk sample material. Analyses
conducted as part of this sorting test work generated a calculated
head grade of 5.72 gpt Au for the bulk sample. The vast majority of
gold reported to mechanically sorted concentrates in each of the
three size fractions tested (please refer to summary below). An
impressive 90.2% of gold was recovered in 54.5% of the mass of the
+18/-50 mm fraction, 68.8% of gold was recovered in 42.4% of the
mass of the +6/-18 mm fraction, and 95.5% of gold was recovered in
20.3% of the mass of the +2.3/-6 mm fraction. Material finer than
2.3 mm, comprising 17% of the total mass of the bulk sample, was
not tested due to excessive dust issues. Novo believes such
material is treatable by means of gravity concentration.
- Test results are considered indicative, and Novo and Steinert
see additional opportunity to optimize sorting conditions and
parameters that may result in further efficiencies. Nevertheless,
these tests indicate robust potential for upgrading nuggety
conglomerate gold mineralization, and perhaps, a broader spectrum
of gold mineralization types.
- A second 2.8 tonne split of the same bulk sample material has
been delivered to TOMRA Sorting Pty Ltd’s
(“TOMRA”) mechanical sorting test facility in
Castle Hill, New South Wales where it will soon undergo similar
testing utilizing various TOMRA mechanical sorters.
Summary of mechanical sorting
test results from a 2.8 tonne Beaton’s Creek bulk
sample:
|
Starting Material |
|
Sorted Fractions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
% Mass Accepted |
54.5 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
>>>>>>> |
% Gold Accepted |
90.2 |
% |
|
|
+18 -50mm |
50.4 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>>>>> |
% Mass Rejected |
45.5 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
% Gold Rejected |
9.8 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
% Mass Accepted |
42.4 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
>>>>>>> |
% Gold Accepted |
68.8 |
% |
|
|
+6 -18mm |
26.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>>>>> |
% Mass Rejected |
57.6 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
% Gold Rejected |
31.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
% Mass Accepted |
20.3 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
>>>>>>> |
% Gold Accepted |
95.5 |
% |
|
|
+2.3 -6mm |
6.4 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>>>>> |
% Mass Rejected |
79.7 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
% Gold Rejected |
4.5 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-2.3 |
17.0 |
% |
|
Unsorted |
|
“We are highly encouraged by these initial
results,” commented Rob Humphryson, CEO and Director of Novo
Resources. “We are already fully confident about the outcome of
Egina mechanical sorting test work which demonstrated excellent
recoveries into very small concentrates. Our Beaton’s Creek test
work is more investigative in nature owing to the finer gold grain
size, so to achieve such levels of upgrade in first phase testing
is remarkable. Test work is being developed and supervised by Novo
staff specializing in mining engineering, metallurgical processing,
and importantly, our geology team. This means those people engaged
in exploration are fully aware of the profound impact that
mechanical sorting potentially imparts on the economic viability of
our prospects. Mechanical sorting test work is likely to become an
integral part of future exploration and economic modeling as we
hopefully progress each of our projects towards production should
the economic viability and technical feasibility of the project be
established. This is particularly true given our natural advantage
of being able to source abundant bulk sample material from
outcropping deposits within our projects.”
Description of Test Work
A total of approximately 5.6 tonnes of
costean-sourced material collected during the bulk sampling program
conducted at Beaton’s Creek in 2018 (see the Company’s new release
dated December 13, 2018 -
https://www.novoresources.com/news-media/news/display/index.php?content_id=334)
was crushed and screened at Bureau Veritas’ laboratories in Perth,
Western Australia. Sample material was then screened to 2.3-6.0 mm,
6.0-18.0 mm and 18.0-50.0 mm, the same size fractions used during
Egina test work (see the Company’s new release dated December 17,
2019 -
https://www.novoresources.com/news-media/news/display/index.php?content_id=371).
Half of this material, approximately 2.8 tonnes, was delivered to
Steinert Global’s Bibra Lake and Canning Vale testing facilities in
Perth, Western Australia, and the other half sent to TOMRA Sorting
Pty Ltd.’s mechanical sorting test facility in Castle Hill, New
South Wales for test work beginning in late January 2020.
Sub-samples of the latter will be forwarded for testing in Germany
to be conducted in late February 2020.
Utilizing small hand-sorted batches of Beaton’s
Creek material, Steinert personnel configured suitable scanning
methodologies to determine that which is most efficient at
identifying gold particles. Nuggety Egina bulk material responded
well to EM (electromagnetic separation, based upon
material conductivity), however, nuggety Beaton’s Creek material
was found to respond best to XRT (Xray tomography,
based upon atomic density of gold bearing material). To analyze
gold in sample material and concentrates, Novo subjected numerous
500 gram splits to the Chrysos™ PhotonAssay technique
conducted by MinAnalytical Laboratories in Perth, Western
Australia.
Further testing is being planned to further
optimize recovery and reduce concentrate sizes as well as enhance
productivity. Novo is considering whether subsequent testing will
be conducted in the laboratory or by larger scale field-testing. A
decision will be made once all testing has been completed during
the first quarter of 2020.
Dr. Quinton Hennigh, P. Geo., the Company’s
president, chairman, and a director, and a qualified person as
defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the technical
contents of this news release.
About Novo Resources Corp.
Novo’s focus is to explore and develop gold
projects in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and Novo has
built up a significant land package covering approximately 13,000
sq. km with varying ownership interests. For more information,
please contact Leo Karabelas at (416) 543-3120 or
e-mail leo@novoresources.com
On Behalf of the Board of Directors,
Novo Resources Corp.
“Quinton Hennigh”Quinton Hennigh President and
Chairman
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this news release.
Forward-looking information
Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking
information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation)
including, without limitation, statements as to planned processing
and exploration activities, the statement that Novo believes that
material finer than 2.3 mm, which was not tested due to excessive
dust issues, is treatable by means of gravity concentration, and
the statement concerning planned work as each of Novo’s projects
moves towards production. These statements address future events
and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary
risks of the mineral resource industry and economic factors, as
well as the performance of services by third parties.
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