Ireland Inc. Announces Additional Positive Gold Leach Extraction Results from Sand Material at Columbus Project
June 13 2011 - 7:26AM
Business Wire
Ireland Inc. (OTCBB: IRLD), a minerals exploration and
development company that targets properties containing large-scale
deposits of precious metals in the southwestern United States,
today announced additional encouraging extraction results from a
series of seven bulk leach tests on sand material taken from within
the Zone S North area, located in the northwest sector of its
Columbus Project in Esmeralda County, Nevada.
Cyanide and Thiosulphate Leach Tests
As a follow up to the initial and the second sand bulk tests,
seven more bulk sand samples (+500 lbs each) were taken from
various locations within Zone S North and delivered to AuRIC
Metallurgical Laboratories for leach testing. The average head
grade of the seven new bulk sand samples was 0.046 ounces per ton
(opt) gold (Au) and 0.695 opt silver (Ag) (see table below). The
samples were directly leached by both cyanide and thiosulphate.
The average net recovery for cyanide leach relative to head
grade was 91.3% Au and 85.6% Ag. Using thiosulphate leach, the net
recovery, relative to head grade, was 84.8% Au and 95.5% Ag. The
leach results for the seven new bulk sand tests are summarized
below:
Cyanide and Thiosulphate Leach Extraction Results
Head Ore (HO)
Caustic Fusion Assay
Cyanide Leach Extraction
Thiosulphate Leach
Extraction
Test Au opt
Ag opt Au %
Ag % Au %
Ag % 1 0.028 0.482
85.7% 90.0%
71.4% 96.5% 2
0.018 0.825
116.7%1
91.5%
*2
* 3 0.059
0.552 83.1% 71.4%
76.3% 95.5% 4
0.047 1.025
97.9% 96.4% 93.6%
111.5% 5 0.051
0.965 96.1% 63.3%
92.2% 81.6% 6
0.064 0.612
90.6% 94.4% 81.3%
88.9% 7 0.052
0.404 94.2% 92.3%
94.2% 99.0%
Average
0.046
0.695
91.3%
85.6%
84.8%
95.5%
“The encouraging results of these 500-lb bulk leach tests
provide strong metallurgical support to our exploration and
development program at our Columbus Project,” stated Douglas D.G.
Birnie, Chief Executive Officer of Ireland Inc. “It is important to
note that these test results indicate that the percentage of gold
and silver recovery, from either a cyanide or thiosulphate leach of
the sand, appears to be independent from the head grade of the
material. The leach test results to date have exceeded our ‘target’
net recovery average of 75% of the head grade.
“We will continue to conduct more bulk tests to evaluate
concentration methods and rates as we progress towards finalizing
our optimum extraction flow sheet. Our goal is to prove, based upon
operation of our pilot plant, that the Columbus Project is
economically viable for the extraction of gold and silver,”
concluded Birnie.
About Ireland Inc.
Based in Henderson, Nevada, Ireland Inc. is a minerals
exploration and development company that targets properties
containing large-scale deposits of precious metals in the
southwestern United States. The Company is currently involved with
two mining projects, both of which are prospective for gold and
silver. In early 2008, Ireland completed the acquisition of the
Columbus Project located in Esmeralda County, NV, near Tonopah,
where it also has an option to acquire additional adjacent mineral
claims. Ireland also owns rights to acquire up to 100% of the Red
Mountain Project in San Bernardino County, California.
Please visit www.irelandminerals.com for more information.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document may include statements that constitute
“forward-looking” statements, usually containing the words
“believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “expect,” or similar expressions.
Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or
contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to,
Ireland’s limited operating history, future trends in mineral
prices, the availability of capital, geological or mechanical
difficulties affecting Ireland’s planned geological work programs,
and uncertainties surrounding estimates of mineralized material.
Extraction rates and mineralization grades from test results on
individual samples may not be representative of extraction rates or
grades that can be obtained from other samples or from commercial
scale extraction efforts. Additional exploration work will be
required to fully define the extent of the Columbus Project’s
mineralized areas and before proved or probable mineral reserves
can be established. There is no assurance that the results of
Ireland’s exploration of pre-feasibility programs will result in a
decision to enter into commercial production. Ireland undertakes no
obligation to update the forward looking statements in this
document.
Investors are advised to carefully review the reports and
documents that we file from time to time with the SEC, particularly
our Annual and Quarterly Reports.
1 - Result possibly due to nugget effect, and as such, removed
from average
2 * - test not performed