African Mining June 2023 | Seite 12

• PROJECTS AND EXPLORATION

All flags Freepik . com

GOLD RECOVERIES UP TO 93.4 % FROM RODRUIN

• All five samples were subjected to coarse ore bottle roll leach testing at a crush size P100 of -8mm . The test results showed average gold recoveries ranging between 66.2 % and 75.3 %, after 30 days of leaching . Average silver recoveries ranged from 19.3 % to 30.8 %;

• Whole ore and coarse ore bottle roll cyanidation leach tests indicate that all the Rodruin mineralisation types tested are amenable to processing via both conventional CIL and heap leach technologies .

Location : Egypt Phase : Exploration Resource : Gold and silver

In March this year , Aton Resources Inc . updated investors on the results of further metallurgical testwork from its Rodruin advanced exploration project . Rodruin is located within the company ’ s 100 % owned Abu Marawat Concession in the Eastern Desert of Egypt .

Tonno Vahk , interim CEO , said , “ These metallurgical testwork results from the Rodruin oxides are again very encouraging , following on from the initial scoping level testwork which we undertook in 2021 .

“ The gold recoveries are good and indicate that the oxides from all the main mineralised zones at Rodruin will be amenable to processing by both conventional CIL and heap leach technologies . The company is working towards its planned application for the mining licence at the Abu Marawat Concession in Q3 this year , based on the definition of ‘ commercial discoveries ’ at both Rodruin and Hamama West , in accordance with our Concession Agreement with the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority . The application will be based on planned mining projects on the oxides at both Rodruin and Hamama West , which will allow for the issuance of a 20-year mining licence , extendable for a further 10 years , which will be transformational for Aton . These latest metallurgical results provide us with the flexibility to evaluate various mining and processing options at Rodruin .

“ Work is progressing on the mineral resource estimates at Rodruin and Hamama West , as well as further metallurgical testwork which is ongoing . In the field we are very close to completing the diamond drilling at Hamama , which is testing previously undrilled oxide mineralisation , and preparations are well underway for a 10 000m RC drilling programme .”

Highlights :

• Five composite samples representing the range of oxide mineralisation types at Rodruin underwent further metallurgical testwork investigating both heap leach and conventional CIL technologies . The composite samples were prepared from selected diamond drill half core intervals ;

• Four samples were selected for whole ore cyanidation leach tests at P80 grind sizes of -75 µ m and -106 µ m . Test results showed slightly higher gold and silver extractions at the finer grind size . Gold recoveries ranged between 87.7 % and 93.4 %, after 48 hours of leaching . Silver recoveries ranged from 50.9 % to 65.7 %. At the P80 grind size of -75 µ m gold and silver recoveries averaged 90.4 % and 59.0 % respectively ;

KARIBIB PROJECT IN NAMIBIA UPDATED

Location : Namibia Phase : Development Resource : Lepidotite and pegmatite

Earlier this year Lepidico Ltd announced an update on its Mineral Resource development work at its 80 % owned Karibib Project in Namibia , which led to the upgrade of a further 1.58Mt @ 0.54 % Li2O into Indicated Resources , comprising 1.31Mt @ 0.46 % Li2O at Helikon 4 and 0.27Mt @ 0.86 % Li2O from the Rubicon stockpiles .

Over the course of 2022 Lepidico completed a series of work programs at the Helikon 4 pegmatite and over the surface stockpiles at the historical Rubicon mine to enable the reclassification of Inferred Resources as Indicated Resources , which then allows estimation of Ore Reserves for inclusion in mine planning . These workstreams were well advanced and on track for reporting on in the first quarter .

Lepidico engaged Cube Consulting Pty Ltd to update the Mineral Resource estimate ( MRE ) based on this work . The estimation work was reported in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code ( 2012 ) and was completed between October 2022 and December 2022 . The MRE prepared by Cube is dated 31 December 2022 and is an update to previous MRE work conducted in 2018 by the MSA Group of South Africa ( Helikon 4 ) and in 2021 by Resource Evaluation Services ( Rubicon stockpiles ).

Highlights : Helikon 4 and Rubicon Stockpiles upgrade to Mineral Resources :

• Updated Mineral Resource estimates completed for Helikon 4 and lepidolite-rich surface stockpiles at Rubicon , converting a further 1.58Mt @ 0.54 % Li2O into Indicated Resources

• Helikon 4 total Mineral Resources stand at 1.59Mt @ 0.47 % Li2O

• Helikon 4 shows a 30 % increase in contained Li2O since the previous resource estimate in 2018 , with 82 % of the Mineral Resources classified as indicated

10 • African Mining • June 2023 www . africanmining . co . za