Magnetic Separator and Dewatering Equipment Arrive at the El Peñón Processing Facility
Magnetic Separator and Dewatering
Equipment Arrive at the El Peñón Processing
Facility
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - December 30, 2021) -
Altiplano Metals Inc
. (TSXV: APN) (WKN:
A2JNFG) ("
Altiplano
" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the construction phase at
the El Peñón processing facility to support the Farellon Iron-Oxide-Copper-Gold (Cu-Au) mine located
near La Serena, Chile.
The Company is pleased to report that the magnetic separator and dewatering equipment have arrived
at the El Peñón processing facility. In preparation for the installation, the civil work for the four concrete
platforms required to support the construction and integrate the equipment into the final processing
circuit has begun.
CEO Alastair McIntyre comments, "The arrival of this important equipment highlights APN's commitment
to integrate our production activities with our processing operations while focusing on environmentally
friendly methods to leverage our bottom line."
Magnetic Separation
The magnetic separation process uses the magnetic properties of the magnetite mineralization found
within the material mined at Farellon. Magnetic iron is recovered by processing the tailings generated
from the Cu flotation through a series of three magnetized drums. This process attracts and traps the
magnetic mineralization within the circuit (Figure 1). The iron concentrate collected from the drums will
be processed further using a disc filter to remove the water. The process will produce a concentrate
expected at > 61% Fe with a moisture content of less than 15%. The full magnetic separation and
dewatering process is expected to recover 82% of the water which can be reused in the milling and
flotation process.
Figure 1. Magnetic Drum
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Drying Process for Final Tailings
Concentrates produced by the flotation process will be pumped to a conditioning tank where flocculant
will be added to thicken the solution. In this equipment, the solids will decant and compress within their
own weight (Figure 2). The resulting precipitated solids are raked to avoid blockages, while the excess
water is recovered as overflow and reused in the circuit. Using a high pressure flow, the solution is
pumped to a chamber press filter and passed through concave plates to dry the concentrate and recover
the water (Figure 3). After each cycle, the plates are opened and the solids are removed and collected
for sale. The same circuit is also used for the tailings generated from the copper flotation and the tailings
from the magnetic separation processes. Final tailings will be stored in dry stock piles for removal.
Figure 2. Illustration of the Thickening Process
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Figure 3. Chamber Press Filter
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Figure 4. Equipment Arrives on Site
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Altiplano has generated greater than US$7.2 million from the recovery and sale of approximately 3.6
million pounds of copper with an average grade of 1.74% Cu (2018 Q1-2021 Q3). Cash flow has been
re-invested into equipment, underground drilling, expanding underground development, enhancing
ventilation to increase productivity and capacity, and the commencement of the permitted El Peñón fit-
for-purpose mill and flotation plant located 15 km from the Farellon site.
About Altiplano
Altiplano Metals is a growing gold, silver, and copper company focused on the Americas. The Company
has a diversified portfolio of assets that include an operating copper-gold-iron mine, development near
term producing gold-copper projects, and exploration land packages with district-scale potential.
Altiplano is focused on creating long-term stakeholder value through developing safe and sustainable
production, reinvesting into exploration, and pursuing acquisition opportunities to complement its
existing portfolio. Management has a substantial record of success in capitalizing on opportunity,
overcoming challenges and building shareholder value. Altiplano trades on the Toronto Venture
Exchange trading under the symbol APN and the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol A2JNFG.
John Williamson, B.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed, and
approved the technical contents of this document.
Altiplano is part of the Metals Group of companies, managed by an award-winning team of professionals
who stand for technical excellence, painstaking project selection and uncompromising corporate
governance, with a proven ability to capitalize on investment opportunities and deliver shareholder
returns.
www.metalsgroup.com
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
/s/ "John Williamson"
Chairman
For further information, please contact:
Alastair McIntyre, President and CEO.
Tel: (416) 434-3799
Jeremy Yaseniuk, Director
Tel: (604) 773-1467
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.
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All
statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling,
exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking
statements. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify any historical estimates as
current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the issuer is not treating the historical estimates as
current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Farellon mine was previously in production dating
back to the 1970's with a reported historical production (to a depth of 70 m) yielding approximately
300,000 tonnes at an average grade of 2.5% copper and 0.5g/t gold. This material was processed
locally and sold to ENAMI. Altiplano is relying upon past production records, underground sampling
and related activities and current diamond drilling to estimate grade and widths of the mineralization
to reactivate production. The decision to commence production on the Farellon deposit is not based
on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and there is
increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with any production
decision. 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 or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-
looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-
looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of
mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and
delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural
resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general
economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not
guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, investors should
review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at
www.sedar.com
.
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