Freeman GOLD Commences Phase Four Metalurgical Test Work IN Support of Feasibility Study at the Lemhi GOLD Project
FREEMAN GOLD COMMENCES PHASE FOUR
METALURGICAL TEST WORK IN SUPPORT OF
FEASIBILITY STUDY AT THE LEMHI GOLD
PROJECT
VANCOUVER, BC
,
April 14, 2025
/CNW/ - Freeman Gold Corp. (TSXV: FMAN) (OTCQB: FMANF) (FSE:
3WU) ("
Freeman
" or the "
Company
") is pleased to announce that it has awarded the Feasibility
metallurgical test work contract to Base Metallurgical Laboratories Ltd. ("
Base Met
"),
Kamloops, British
Columbia
, Canada. The test work is part of a fourth phase of metallurgical test work at the Lemhi Gold
Project ("
Lemhi
" the "
Project
" or "
Property
"). The results will be used in conjunction with the previous
three phases as part of the recently commissioned feasibility study being completed by Ausenco (see
Freeman's news release dated
February 10, 2025
).
Freeman's metallurgical test work that commenced in 2021 has demonstrated that Lemhi mineralization
has favourable characteristics that include:
Lemhi mineralization has very low resistance to breakage;
Testing indicates up to 58 per cent ("
%
") of the coarse gold can be recovered through gravity
concentration;
Greater than ("
>
") 95% of contained gold is recoverable using a traditional
Carbon
-In-Leach ("
CIL
")
process;
An optimized flowsheet has been designed that consists of a grind target of 150 micron ("
µm
"), a
gravity circuit and 24-hour retention cyanide leaching. This flowsheet produced combined gold
recoveries of 97.5 % and 96.3%;
Some lower gold recoveries were evident on feeds with higher copper ("
Cu
") content. The bench
scale testing to simulate flash flotation to remove a Cu-silver ("
Ag
")-gold ("
Au
") concentrate allowed
the float tails to increase the gold leach recoveries back to project average levels;
Test work provided acceptable discharge chemistry and the most optimized reagent dosages showed
that the material was not acid generating.
Weak acid dissociable ("
WAD
") cyanide levels were effectively reduced from 305 milligrams per
litre ("
mg/L
") to less than 1 mg/L in 30 minutes of slurry retention time;
Reagent consumption of sodium cyanide, lime, sodium metabisulphite, copper sulphate, flocculant,
hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide and activated carbon are estimated to be
US$4.26
per tonne
milled;
This fourth phase of testing aims to refine these positive results for inclusion in the upcoming
Feasibility Study.
Dean Besserer
, Vice President of Exploration, stated, "Metallurgical testing to date at Lemhi has shown
exceptional metallurgical response in terms of recovery percentages and rates, as well as reagent use
and consumption. This new testing campaign by Base Met will refine results to meet the requirements of
our Feasibility Study, currently being prepared by Ausenco."
The 20 samples submitted to Base Met for test work are a mix of crushed assay rejects and halved drill
core. Testing will focus on three production composites from the Main Pit, Beauty Zone, and SW Zone to
assess variability in mineralization over the 11-year mine life as outlined in the 2023 Preliminary Economic
Assessment ("
PEA
"). Furthermore, work aims to refine the operating parameters for the PEA flowsheet
that utilizes a CIL processing facility (see Freeman's news release dated
October 16, 2023
).
The 2025 4
th
Phase metallurgical test work program will consist of:
Measuring comminution characteristics including SMC, Bond Drop Weight Index ("
BMi
") and Abrasion
index;
Assessing Bond Ball Mill Work Index of each variability sample to determine the energy requirements
during ball milling;
Measuring the chemical and mineral contents of the feed samples:
Representative sub-samples from each variability sample will be submitted for head assays for the
following analyses: gold, silver, copper, iron ("
F
e
"), sulphur ("
S
"), carbon ("
C
"), and mercury ("
Hg
");
A Bulk Mineral Analysis ("
BMA
") using industry standard scanning electron microscope ("
SEM
")
techniques will be conducted on each variability sample to obtain quantitative mineral composition
data and determine sulphur deportment;
A program of bench scale metallurgical tests will be conducted on the samples to confirm the
suitability of 3 production composites to processing techniques determined through previous test
programs;
Evaluate the response of 3 production composites to processing techniques determined through
previous test programs, including:
Whole sample leaching with sodium cyanide;
Gravity concentration plus Sodium Cyanide ("
NaCN
") leaching;
A series of laboratory mill grind calibrations to establish grinding times required for leach testing.
Evaluate the response of cyanide detoxification on a leached composite sample including cyanide
destruction testing;
Apply the developed flowsheet to an estimated 20 variability samples;
Evaluate the dynamic settling characteristics of a composite pre-leach sample;
Evaluate the dynamic settling and filtering characteristics of detoxified composite samples;
Prepare a filtered tailings sample for Jenike & Johanson ("
J&J
") material handling test work.
Prior Metallurgical Test Work
2023 Metallurgical Test Work (Phase 3)
Freeman submitted two shipments of drill core to refine process development aspects of the Lemhi
Project to Base Met. Two master composites were created from the drill core, and each composite was
assayed for gold in duplicate. Master Comp 1 ("
MC1
") and Master Comp 2 ("
MC2
") contained 1.94 and
1.18 grams per tonne gold, ("
g/t Au
") respectively. Metallurgical testing included gravity tests on MC1 and
development cyanide leaching on each MC1 and MC2. An oxygen uptake rate ("
OUR
") test and 10 kg bulk
gravity and cyanide test were also completed using MC2 to generate feed cyanide destruction and solid-
liquid separation optimization testing. Gravity gold concentrate generated were submitted to intensive
cyanidation leaching test to assess leachability of the gravity recoverable gold for each composite (see
Freeman's new release dated
July 31, 2023
).
Cyanide leach testing evaluated the effect of grind size between 110 and 175 µm on gold recoveries using
gravity and
Carbon
-in-Leach circuits. Results showed limited variance in leach performance with increased
grind size. Based on the results, an optimized flowsheet was selected which consists of a grind target of
150 micron ("
µm
"), a gravity circuit and 24-hour retention cyanide leaching. This flowsheet produced
combined gold recoveries of 97.5 % and 96.3% for MC1 and MC2 respectively. Furthermore, leaching
with and without activated carbon (i.e. direct leach vs. CIL) did not show evidence of preg-robing
conditions.
In addition, 20 kg of material from sample MC1 was subjected to Extended Gravity Recoverable Gold
("
EGRG
") testing to determine gravity recovery amenability. Test results contained a high level of gravity
recoverable gold of 58%. These high range results suggest that the inclusion of a gravity gold
concentration would enhance recoveries and lower costs and was included in the preliminary feasibility
study.
2021-22 Metallurgical Test Program (Phase 1 and 2)
SGS Mineral Services,
Burnaby, B.C.
, ("
SGS
") performed metallurgical laboratory testing beginning in
January 2021
and ending in
January 2022
. The laboratory study used a total of 38 drill hole intervals and
composite samples. Initial optimization test work began on archived assay rejects originating from 2012
diamond drill core and then proceeding to 2020 PQ diamond drill core intervals (Phase 1) and, finally,
testing 26 variability composite drill core samples originating from 2020 assay rejects (Phase 2). These
samples were used for comminution, gravity recovery, leaching, and liquid/solid separation studies, as well
as ongoing environmental evaluation.
Gold cyanidation extractions averaged 95%, based on 38 variability samples, with head grades ranging
from 0.2 g/t to 10.9 g/t Au, and averaging 1.02 g/t Au. Samples were collected over a large spatial area
considered representative of the 2020 maiden mineral resource (see Freeman's news release dated
July 8, 2021
). The results were based on process operating conditions that are suitable for a conventional
CIL tank leaching process. This included a grind of 80% passing particle size ("
P
80
"
) 106 microns, with a
leach retention time of approximately 36 hours, following gravity pre-treatment.
The laboratory testing used composite samples averaging close to the predicted current resource grade
of 1.01 g/t Au resulting in average gold extractions of 95%. This comprised of a wide range of potential
mill feed grades of between 0.2 g/t to 10.9 g/t resulting in 91% to 99% gold leach dissolution. Gold
recovery continued to hold up well even below potential cut-off grade material. This included down to the
lowest grade sample at 0.19 g/t Au, which resulted in 89% gold leach dissolution. Cyanide tailing residues
typically analyzed <0.5 g/t Au and were often below detection limit of 0.02 g/t Au.
Pre-treatment of the leach feed by gravity concentration using a Knelson Concentrator suggests on
average 1/3 of the gold might be recovered into rougher gravity concentrate that is suitable for intense
cyanidation. This is relevant given the corresponding head analyses indicates a significant portion of gold
can occur as coarse particles.
Laboratory data also suggested that sulphide bearing material that is occasionally identified in the current
resource (Maiden Resource), including pyrite and chalcopyrite intervals, could produce a potentially
marketable flotation concentrate containing gold and copper. Flotation tailing would then be forwarded as
feed to the CIL leach process resulting in overall process recoveries in line with whole rock tank leaching.
Freeman also announces that it has granted stock options ("
Stock Options
") to certain directors, officers
and consultants of the Company to acquire an aggregate of 4,850,000 common shares in the capital of
the Company (the "
Shares
") at an exercise price of
$0.12
per Share, in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the Company's stock option plan. The Stock Options fully vest on the date of the grant and
are exercisable for a five-year term expiring
April 14, 2030
.
About the Company and Project
Freeman Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the development of its 100% owned
Lemhi Gold property. The Project comprises 30 square kilometres of highly prospective land, hosting a
near-surface oxide gold resource. The pit constrained National Instrument 43-101 ("
NI 43- 101
") compliant
mineral resource estimate is comprised of 988,100 ounces gold ("
oz Au
") at 1.0 gram per tonne ("
g/t
") in
30.02 million tonnes (4.7 million tonnes Measured (168,800 oz) & 25.5 million tonnes Indicated (819,300
oz)) and 256,000 oz Au at 1.04 g/t Au in 7.63 million tonnes (Inferred). The Company is focused on
growing and advancing the Project towards a production decision. To date, 525 drill holes and
92,696 m
of drilling has historically been completed (Murray K., Elfen, S.C., Mehrfert, P., Millard, J., Cooper,
Schulte, M.,
Dufresne
, M., NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment, dated
November 20, 2023
;
https://freemangoldcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Preliminary-Economic-Assessment_24.08.15.pdf
).
The recently updated price sensitivity analysis (see Freeman's news release dated
April 9, 2025
) shows a
PEA with an after-tax net present value (5%) of
US$329 million
and an internal rate of return of 28.2%
using a base case gold price of
US$2,200
/oz; Average annual gold production of 75,900 oz Au for a total
life-of-mine of 11.2 years payable output of 851,900 oz Au; life-of-mine cash costs of
US$925
/oz Au; and,
all-in sustaining costs of
US$1,105
/oz Au using an initial capital expenditure of
US$215 million
*.
* Note: Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The
preliminary economic assessment is preliminary in nature, that it includes inferred mineral resources that
are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that
would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary
economic assessment will be realized.
The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by
Dean Besserer
, P. Geo., VP
Exploration of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by the NI 43-101.
On Behalf of the Company
Bassam Moubarak
Chief Executive Officer
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.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and
"forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable
securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without
limitation, relating to the future operations and activities of Freeman are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects",
"anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or
statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved.
Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things, Feasibility metallurgical
test work, results therefrom, and impact thereof
.
There can be no assurance that such statements will
prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated
in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the
statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while
considered reasonable by Freeman, are inherently subject to significant business, economic,
competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and
unknown, could cause actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from the
results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these
factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the ability to complete proposed metallurgical test work,
the continued availability of capital, and changes in general economic, market and business conditions.
Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in
this news release concerning these items. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the
forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws.
SOURCE
Freeman Gold Corp.
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For further information:
For further information, please visit the Company's website at
www.freemangoldcorp.com or contact Mr. Bassam Moubarak at by email at [email protected]
CO: Freeman Gold Corp.
CNW 07:30e 14-APR-25