West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. (“West Red
Lake Gold” or “WRLG” or the “Company”) (TSXV: WRLG)
(OTCQB: WRLGF) is very pleased to announce
positive metallurgical test results from the Rowan Mine Deposit,
which is part of the 100% owned Rowan Property located in the
prolific Red Lake Gold District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada.
Highlights of Metallurgical Test
Results
The Rowan Mine Deposit exhibits an excellent
response using conventional metallurgical techniques with a
very high percentage of Gravity Recoverable Gold
(“GRG”). As expected, the GRG component occurs as coarse
gold, which is also seen at Madsen and the satellite deposits
Russet, Fork and Wedge (the “Satellites”). The metallurgical test
work was completed using the Madsen Mill Flowsheet with the same
specifications and parameters currently in place at the Madsen
Mill.
- Test work completed on the Rowan
Master Composites (“MCs”) indicates that Rowan
vein material can be processed through the Madsen
Mill with minor changes to the existing flowsheet.
- The results indicate the MCs tested
produce very high gravity recovery with overall gold
extraction above 98% after a 48-hour cyanide leach of the gravity
tailings.
- Gravity Recoverable Gold
(GRG) ranged from 75.8% to 94.9% and the gold was found to be
coarse to very coarse.
- At a primary grind of 80% passing
(P80) 75 microns, very low cyanide consumptions, below 0.23
kilogram per tonne (“kg/t”), were required to achieve gold
extractions above 98%.
Shane Williams, President & CEO, stated,
"The results of this first phase of metallurgical test work at
Rowan have exceeded our expectations, and represent a significant
step forward in de-risking this high-grade resource. It is very
encouraging to see gold recoveries in the order of 98% using the
same process flow sheet as the Madsen Mill. Furthermore, the high
percentage of gold that is able to be extracted via gravity methods
only further increases our confidence in the Rowan Deposit as a
future source of high-grade, easily recoverable gold ounces that
could potentially add a significant boost to the overall production
profile at Madsen.”
Details of Metallurgical
Program
The metallurgical test program (the “Program”)
was completed by Base Metallurgical Laboratories (“BaseMet”), a
leading metallurgical testing and consulting firm based in
Kamloops, British Columbia. The test work was completed on four (4)
MC samples representative of Rowan vein zones 101, 102, 103 and 104
(“MC-101”, “MC-102”, “MC-103” and “MC-104”, respectively). The MC
samples were created from contiguous intervals of material from 14
NQ-diameter diamond drill holes throughout the Rowan deposit. The
metallurgical test program was designed and supervised by Kelly
McLeod, P.Eng. (K-Met Consultants, Inc.).
TABLE 1 shows the head grades for the four MCs.
Due to the nuggety nature of the gold in the material, MC head
grades vary with each test charge – for example, a range of 4.6 to
15.3 g/t Au was measured during the leach tests.
TABLE 1. Head Assays for the Four Master Composites from
BaseMet
Products |
Assays |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (g/t) |
As (g/t) |
Cu (%) |
Fe (%) |
S (%) |
C (%) |
MC 101 Hd 1 |
5.56 |
2.0 |
96 |
0.008 |
2.06 |
0.50 |
0.33 |
MC 101 Hd 2 |
6.32 |
1.3 |
104 |
0.008 |
2.08 |
0.52 |
0.34 |
Average |
5.94 |
1.7 |
100 |
0.008 |
2.07 |
0.51 |
0.34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MC 102 Hd 1 |
11.10 |
1.5 |
412 |
0.004 |
1.62 |
0.41 |
0.46 |
MC 102 Hd 2 |
8.01 |
2.6 |
324 |
0.004 |
1.58 |
0.47 |
0.46 |
Average |
9.56 |
2.1 |
368 |
0.004 |
1.60 |
0.44 |
0.46 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MC 103 Hd 1 |
3.22 |
2.8 |
1754 |
0.018 |
5.44 |
1.95 |
0.61 |
MC 103 Hd 2 |
3.40 |
2.8 |
1470 |
0.017 |
5.64 |
1.88 |
0.64 |
Average |
3.31 |
2.8 |
1612 |
0.018 |
5.54 |
1.92 |
0.63 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MC 104 Hd 1 |
3.67 |
1.6 |
12 |
0.013 |
14.2 |
0.89 |
0.55 |
MC 104 Hd 2 |
1.00 |
1.6 |
12 |
0.013 |
13.9 |
0.87 |
0.55 |
Average |
2.34 |
1.6 |
12 |
0.013 |
14.1 |
0.88 |
0.55 |
Discussion of the Metallurgical Program
Results
The preliminary test work completed on the Rowan
MCs indicates the material can be processed through the Madsen Mill
with minor changes to the existing flowsheet. The results indicate
the MCs tested produced very high gravity recovery with overall
gold extraction after a 48-hour cyanide leach of the gravity
tailings above 98%. Like Madsen, the leach tests were completed at
low cyanide consumptions and successfully achieved the target
Cyanide Weak Acid Dissociable (“CNWAD“) in the final tailings of
less than 1 ppm using the previously established Madsen conditions
for cyanide destruction.
Mineralogy and Comminution
Bulk Mineralogy Analysis (“BMA”) was completed
on all four MC samples. As observed at Madsen and the Satellite
deposits, the main sulphides present are pyrrhotite followed by
pyrite. Sphalerite is also present at Rowan and tends to often be
spatially associated with visible gold.
FIGURE 1. Sulphur Deportment Chart showing relative
abundance of sulphide minerals in the Rowan Master
Composites.
Comminution test work conducted on the MCs
yielded the following results:
- The Rowan
samples tested were harder than the Madsen and Satellite
deposits.
- The Bond Ball
Work Index (“Bwi”) for the Rowan MCs ranges from 16.2 to 18.2
kilowatt-hour per tonne (“kWh/t”) – for comparison Madsen ranges
from 9.7 to 17.1 kWh/t and averages 14.4 kWh/t.
- The SAG Mill
Comminution (“SMC”) test results are outlined in TABLE 3
below.
TABLE 2. Bond Work Index Summary for
Rowan Master Composites.
Sample ID |
Bond BWI @ 106µm CSS |
F80-μm |
P80-μm |
Gpr |
kW-hr/t |
MC-101 |
2493 |
74 |
1.02 |
17.2 |
MC-102 |
2537 |
75 |
1.1 |
16.2 |
MC-103 |
2284 |
76 |
1.08 |
16.8 |
MC-104 |
2625 |
74 |
0.94 |
18.2 |
TABLE 3. SMC Test Results Summary for the Rowan Master
Composites.
Sample ID |
Size Fraction Tested (mm) |
DWi |
DWi |
Mia |
Mih |
Mic |
kWh/m3 |
% |
kWh/t |
kWh/t |
kWh/t |
MC-101 |
22.4 - 19.0 |
10.4 |
90.0 |
27.1 |
21.8 |
11.3 |
MC-102 |
22.4 - 19.0 |
10.8 |
90.2 |
27.9 |
22.7 |
11.8 |
MC-103 |
22.4 - 19.0 |
12.5 |
98.0 |
29.8 |
25.0 |
12.9 |
MC-104 |
22.4 - 19.0 |
13.4 |
99.0 |
31.6 |
26.8 |
13.9 |
Sample ID |
A |
B |
sg |
ta |
SCSE |
AxB |
SMC |
MC-101 |
89.7 |
0.30 |
2.76 |
0.25 |
12.2 |
26.9 |
MC-102 |
100.0 |
0.26 |
2.76 |
0.24 |
12.4 |
26.0 |
MC-103 |
83.5 |
0.28 |
2.91 |
0.21 |
13.7 |
23.4 |
MC-104 |
80.5 |
0.27 |
2.89 |
0.19 |
14.2 |
21.7 |
Gravity Tests
- Gravity
Recoverable Gold (GRG) test work was completed on MC-101, -102 and
-103.
- All three MCs
have a significant amount of coarse gravity gold.
- MC-101, MC-102
and MC-103 had a GRG of 93.0%, 94.9% and 75.8%, respectively.
- The gravity
component is coarse to very coarse as seen in the Madsen and
Satellite deposits.
Leach Tests
- The leach tests were completed
using the Madsen Mill Flowsheet.
- The gold extraction at 24 hours
(residence time in the Madsen leach circuit) was above 95% for all
four MCs tested with high gravity recovery – for comparison, the
Madsen mill averaged 95%.
- The final extractions at 48 hours
were above 98% with cyanide consumptions below 0.23 kg/tonne.
- High gravity recoveries to the pan
concentrate of over 67% were recorded with the exception of MC-103
which had a recovery of 42.3%. Operational data from the Madsen
mill averaged 45% recovery to the pan concentrate.
- Due to the coarse nature of the
Rowan gold and slightly slower leach kinetics of MC-102 an
additional leach tank will be added to the flowsheet.
- The Madsen detox circuit is
designed for 1 hour residence time, 5:1 SO2:CNWAD and 30 mg/L
CuSO4.5H2O with a target of less than 5 ppm CNWAD.
- The cyanide destruction test work
completed on the MC’s indicates the Rowan material can achieve a
final tailings CNWAD of less than 1 ppm Au following the Madsen
design parameters and flowsheet.
FIGURE 2. Leach Kinetics for MC Samples MC-101, -102,
-103 and -104.
Additional Test Work and Opportunities
Additional metallurgical test work at Rowan will
include PFS-level studies to confirm extraction with varying head
grades, as well as running the flowsheet on a number of variability
samples from throughout the Rowan deposit.
DISCUSSION
The Rowan Mine Target consists of more than
seven sub-parallel, near-vertical, east-west trending veins that
are currently defined over a strike length of approximately 1.1 km–
mineralization remains open along strike and at depth. The
orientation of the veins at the Rowan Mine tend to follow the
direction of D2 deformation, which is oriented in an east-west
direction over this part of the property. Individual mineralized
vein zones usually average 1.0 to 1.5m in thickness, with an
overall thickness of the Rowan vein corridor at around 115m. Gold
mineralization is typically localized within quartz-carbonate veins
hosted within and along the ‘footwall’ margin of a porphyritic
felsic intrusive, with increased grades often associated with the
presence of visible gold and base metal sulphides (e.g. galena,
sphalerite). High-grade dilation zones or ‘ore chutes’ along the
Rowan vein trend have been recognized as important controls for
localizing thicker and higher-grade zones of gold mineralization.
The position and geometry of these dilation zones is well
understood at Rowan.
The drilling completed at the Rowan Mine Target
in 2023 has been focused on validating historical data across the
Inferred Resource, and also infilling apparent gaps in the
analytical data set which was a product of very selective sampling
techniques implemented during previous drilling campaigns. Assay
results received from the 2023 drilling program continue to confirm
our thesis that quartz veining and gold mineralization continue at
depth and along strike, with grades consistent with, or higher than
those outlined in the current Inferred Mineral Resource which
remains open in all directions. For example, the 100 Vein Zone -
which is the furthest north vein currently modeled within the
overall Rowan vein corridor - was previously interpreted to be a
lower grade portion of the block model. Recent drilling has
confirmed that higher grades are present within the 100 Vein Zone
below 150m elevation, suggesting that gold grades are increasing at
depth within this zone which is a trend that has been observed
elsewhere in the Red Lake district. Drilling at the Rowan Mine
Target area will continue with an emphasis on infill and expansion
of the existing high-grade mineral resources.
QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY
CONTROL
Drilling completed at the Rowan Property
consists of oriented NQ-sized diamond drill core. All drill holes
are systematically logged, photographed, and sampled by a trained
geologist at WRLG’s Mt. Jamie core processing facility. Minimum
allowable sample length is 0.5m. Maximum allowable sample length is
1.5m. Standard reference materials and blanks are inserted at a
targeted 5% insertion rate. The drill core is then cut lengthwise
utilizing a diamond blade core saw along a line pre-selected by the
geologist. To reduce sampling bias, the same side of drill core is
sampled consistently utilizing the orientation line as reference.
For those samples containing visible gold (“VG”), a trained
geologist supervises the cutting/bagging of those samples, and
ensures the core saw blade is ‘cleaned’ with a dressing stone
following the VG sample interval. Bagged samples are then sealed
with zip ties and transported by WRLG personnel directly to SGS
Natural Resource’s Facility in Red Lake, Ontario for assay.
Samples are then prepped by SGS, which consists
of drying at 105°C and crushing to 75% passing 2mm. A riffle
splitter is then utilized to produce a 500g course reject for
archive. The remainder of the sample is then pulverized to 85%
passing 75 microns from which 50g is analyzed by fire assay and an
atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. Samples returning gold
values > 10 g/t Au are reanalyzed by fire assay with a
gravimetric finish on a 50g sample. Samples with visible gold are
also analyzed via metallic screen analysis (SGS code: GO_FAS50M).
For multi-element analysis, samples are sent to SGS’s facility in
Burnaby, British Columbia and analyzed via four-acid digest with an
atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish for 33-element
analysis on 0.25g sample pulps (SGS code: GE_ICP40Q12). SGS Natural
Resources analytical laboratories operates under a Quality
Management System that complies with ISO/IEC 17025.
West Red Lake Gold’s Rowan Property presently
hosts a National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”) Inferred Mineral
Resource of 2,790,700 t at an average grade of 9.2 g/t Au
containing 827,462 ounces of gold with a cut-off grade of 3.8 g/t
Au (NI 43-101 Technical Report, entitled “Technical Report and
Resource Estimate on the West Red Lake Project” authored by John
Kita, P.Eng., dated December 13, 2022 and filed December 30, 2022
on www.sedar.com). The Inferred Mineral Resource is located in the
area of the historic underground Rowan Mine site and situated
within a 1.8 km strike length portion of the regional scale
Pipestone Bay St Paul Deformation Zone.
The technical information presented in this news
release has been reviewed and approved by Will Robinson, P.Geo.,
Vice President of Exploration for West Red Lake Gold and the
Qualified Person for exploration at the West Red Lake Project, as
defined by NI 43-101 “Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects”.
ABOUT WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES
West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. is a mineral
exploration company that is publicly traded and focused on
advancing and developing its flagship Madsen Gold Mine and the
associated 47 km2 highly prospective land package in the Red Lake
district of Ontario. The highly productive Red Lake Gold District
of Northwest Ontario, Canada has yielded over 30 million ounces of
gold from high-grade zones and hosts some of the world's richest
gold deposits. WRLG also holds the wholly owned Rowan Property in
Red Lake, with an expansive property position covering 31 km2
including three past producing gold mines - Rowan, Mount Jamie, and
Red Summit.
ON BEHALF OF WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES
LTD.
“Shane Williams”
Shane
Williams President
& Chief Executive Officer
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Amandip Singh, VP Corporate DevelopmentTel:
416-203-9181Email: investors@westredlakegold.com or visit the
Company’s website at https://www.westredlakegold.com
Neither the 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 release.
Certain statements contained in this news
release constitute "forward-looking statements". When used in this
document, the words "anticipated", "expect", "estimated",
"forecast", "planned", and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements or information. These
statements are based on current expectations of management,
however, they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that may cause actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking statements in this news release
and include without limitation, statements relating to the Rowan
Property potential and the Company’s future objectives and plans.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
statements. West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. does not undertake any
obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise after the
date hereof, except as required by securities laws.
Forward‐looking statements involve numerous
risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially
from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These
risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market
volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company’s
securities; fluctuations in commodity prices and changes in the
Company’s business plans. In making the forward looking statements
in this news release, the Company has applied several material
assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable, including
without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated
business objectives and its ability to raise additional capital to
proceed. Although management of the Company has attempted to
identify important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those contained in forward-looking
statements or forward-looking information, there may be other
factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or
intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove
to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly,
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned
that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other
purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any
forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial
out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in
accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company seeks safe
harbor.
For more information on the Company, investors
should review the Company’s continuous disclosure filings that are
available at www.sedarplus.ca.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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