Freeman Gold Initiates Lemhi 2021 Metallurgical Program - Builds On Historical High Leach Recovery Results
- Historical metallurgical test work confirms strong leach response at Lemhi
- Bottle roll testing indicated recoveries >95%
- Heap Leach recoveries range from 70 to 90% depending upon crush size
- 2021 program focusing on optimizing earlier work
CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE: FMAN
SALMON, ID, Jan. 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Freeman Gold Corp. (CSE: FMAN) (FSE: 3WU) ("Freeman" or the "Company") has commenced metallurgical test work on its 100% owned Lemhi Gold Project located in Idaho, USA. This work is part of Freeman's integrated technical program to advance towards a production decision. A comprehensive review of the historical information and test work conducted by previous operators has been completed. Freeman's metallurgical team has designed a test work program to follow-up and enhance gold recoveries, ultimately leading to a project flowsheet for the Lemhi Project. The Company is utilizing samples from both historical and fresh drill core from the 2020 exploration drill program.
Will Randall, President & CEO, commented, "We have a very strong foundation of metallurgical test work from previous operators of the Lemhi project which indicate excellent recoveries using conventional leach technologies. This body of work has saved us considerable time and money in designing a metallurgical program that will provide an optimal process and recovery parameters at Lemhi. As part of our 2020 drill campaign, we completed a large diameter diamond drill hole providing us valuable material for the testing program which will be conducted at SGS Canada."
A review of metallurgical evaluations by previous owners of Lemhi has shown that gold recoveries respond well to conventional processing techniques. Past engineering studies has also shown that Lemhi has the potential to be developed into an open pit, heap and/or tank leach operation.
Historical test work focused primarily on cyanide leaching, most recently in the mid-1990s, by Kappes Cassiday & Associates ("KPA") of Reno, NV. Column leach tests by KPA to evaluate heap leach potential showed gold recovery ranged from the seventy to ninety percent range, with best results obtained using a crush size of 80 percent minus 8 mesh (2.4 mm). Additional work by KPA included bottle roll testing to simulate tank leaching response that typically resulted in optimized gold recoveries in the mid-ninety percent range. The results vary based on the head grade and lithology of the samples, along with test conditions used, most notably particle size and leach retention time. In general, the historic metallurgical information shows good to excellent leach response over wide spatial areas and depth of the known gold mineralization.
In order to advance process development at Lemhi, a 2021 metallurgical testing program is to be conducted at SGS Canada Inc., Burnaby, BC, under the direction of Frank Wright, P.Eng. This study will continue to focus on leach response, as well as investigate optional procedures, including froth flotation, primarily for deeper less oxidized material, and for establishing design and operating parameters for crushing, grinding, and leaching circuits.
The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by Dean Besserer, P. Geo., VP Exploration for the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by the National Instrument 43-101.
About the Company
Freeman Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the development of its 100% owned Lemhi Gold property (the "Lemhi Project"). The Lemhi Project comprises 30 square kilometers of highly prospective land. The mineralization at the Lemhi Project consists of shallow, near surface primarily oxide gold mineralization that has seen over 355 drill holes but remains open at depth and along strike. The Company is working towards de-risking the asset and producing a maiden National Instrument 43-101 compliant resource estimate as a result of both brownfield and greenfield exploration.
On Behalf of the Company
William Randall
President & CEO
Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward–looking information or statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to statements relating to its future business plans. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company does not undertake to update forward–looking statements or forward–looking information, except as required by law.
Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Freeman Gold Corp.
please visit the Company's website at www.freemangoldcorp.com or contact Mr. Ken Cotiamco at 604-687-7130 or by email at: [email protected]
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