Benchmark Provides Metals Recovery up to 98% Gold and 97% Silver from Metallurgical Testing at the Lawyers Gold-Silver Project
Benchmark Provides Metals Recovery up to
98% Gold and 97% Silver from Metallurgical
Testing at the Lawyers Gold-Silver Project
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 13, 2020) -
Benchmark Metals Inc.
(TSXV: BNCH)
(OTCQB: CYRTF) (WKN: A2JM2X) (the "
Company
" or "
Benchmark
") - is pleased to announce
preliminary metallurgical results from composite samples representing three resource target areas.
Benchmark's flagship, 100% owned Lawyers gold-silver project is located in the Golden Horseshoe of
north-central British Columbia, Canada.
Three resource areas were tested for preliminary metallurgical
response.
These three areas consist of Cliffs Creek North & South (CN & CS), Dukes Ridge (DR), and
Amethyst Gold Breccia (AGB) zones.
Combined gravity and leach testing from all three areas have recoveries that range from
91% to 97%
gold
and
59% to 92% silver.
Flotation testing (some with gravity pretreatment) from the three resource
areas have recoveries that range from
85% to 98% for gold
, and
39% to 97% for silver
. The metal
recovery rate, or also known as the mineral recovery percentage, indicates what percentage of gold and
silver are expected to be recovered after the extractive process has taken place.
The test work is an
indication of future mineral processing plant performance based on the extraction process.
John Williamson, CEO, commented, "The metallurgy results have provided exceptional recovery for both
gold and silver using conventional technology. This is a major engineering milestone to rapidly advance
the Project through project development towards a production decision. Ongoing metallurgy, drilling,
baseline studies, engineering and permitting are all supportive endeavors for a near-term Preliminary
Economic Assessment (PEA). The strong, gold and silver recovery rates will contribute to the economics
of this Project."
Summary
Initial metallurgical test work results support the advancement of the Lawyers Gold-Silver Project
Additional metallurgical testing is planned to improve, optimize and better define the process
flowsheet with ongoing project development into a Preliminary Economic Study (PEA) scheduled
for Q1/Q2 2021
Overall recovery grades of gold and silver continue to be promising for all target resource zones
tested
Gold and silver recoveries for mineralized material are excellent with conventional processing
technology
F. Wright Consulting Inc. is engaged to evaluate and complete preliminary metallurgical analysis for the
Lawyers Gold-Silver Project. Analytical and related test work was performed at Bureau Veritas Minerals
(BVM) Metallurgical Division, an accredited facility located in Vancouver, Canada.
The initial work has
been performed on three composite samples consisting of a Cliff Creek North (CN) and Cliff Creek
South (CS) based on five drill holes and representing the major bulk tonnage resource target for the
project.
Also tested was a drill hole interval composite from Dukes Ridge (DR3 98-172) and two
Amethyst Gold Breccia Zone (AGB) drill hole interval composites (AB4 160-214 & AB1 210-236).
Initial results indicate that whole ore leaching can expect an average recovery in mid-ninety percent
range for gold.
Silver recovery is more variable ranging from 59% to 93% depending on the sample and
leach conditions used.
The principal resource target of Cliff Creek North had the highest silver leach
recoveries ranging from 83% to 93%.
Leach reagent consumption was shown to be good, with generally
less than 0.7 kg/t lime Ca(OH
2
) under planned process conditions to maintain a protective slurry
alkalinity of pH ~10.5. Consumption of sodium cyanide was ~ 2.6 g/t or less in all samples.
Based on
initial results whole ore leaching offers the most promising treatment option for the Lawyers Project.
A
summary of selected tests on the intervals tested is presented in Table 1.
Typical conditions used
retention times of 32 to 48 hours and at a moderate grind of product particle size 80% passing (P
80
) 74
to 106 microns.
Higher grade intervals benefit from the longer leach retention and finer P
80
.
Table 1: - Leach Recovery Summaries
Sample ID
Calc Hd (g/t)
Tail (g/t)
Recovery (%)
Drill Hole # (m)
Au
Ag
Au
Ag
Au
Ag
Cliff Creek (5 drill hole intervals)
CN3 176-195
2.13
86.6
0.11
15
94.7
82.6
CN6 72-125
0.73
38.4
0.07
6
90.5
84.4
CN5 113-179
0.60
51.6
0.04
4
93.4
92.2
CS10 228-330
0.89
14.4
0.05
4
94.7
77.1
CN25 127-150
3.04
132
0.06
9
97.8
93.2
Amethyst Gold Breccia Zone (2 drill hole intervals)
AB1 210-236
2.48
165
0.09
32
96.2
80.6
AB4 160-214
1.35
44.1
0.03
18
98.0
59.2
Dukes Ridge (one drill hole interval)
DR3 98-172
1.11
34.7
0.06
5
94.3
85.6
Open cycle froth flotation response is also encouraging for the samples tested for the Cliff Creek Zone.
This was supported by an initial locked cycle test.
The preliminary flowsheet indicates that a moderate
primary grind of approximately P
80
74 microns is typically sufficient. Xanthate is used as a collector and
bulk concentrate can be cleaned in two stages without the need for regrind.
Dukes Ridge and AGB
samples have lower sulphide content and indicated lower more variable precious metal recoveries,
although future testing may improve on this. Higher grade samples should include gravity pretreatment
and may require finer primary grinding with regrinding of a rougher concentrate prior to cleaning.
In all
cases the samples tested show an impressive mass upgrade along with final precious metals content.
A
summary of the float responses to date are provided in Table 2.
Image 1: Drilling at the Cliff Creek Zone
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Table 2: - Flotation Response Summaries
Sample ID
Calc Hd (g/t)
2nd Cl. Conc.
Tail (g/t)
Bulk Rec. (%)
Drill Hole # (m)
Au
Ag
Wt.%
Au, g/t
Ag, g/t
Au
Ag
Au
Ag
Cliff Creek (5 drill hole intervals)
CN3 176-195
2.31
90.1
4.2
46.9
1839
0.10
8.8
96.6
91.9
CN6 72-125
0.77
40.9
2.4
25.3
1311
0.07
5.0
92.2
89.6
CN5 113-179
0.58
51.8
4.9
11.5
992
0.01
1.7
98.9
97.2
CS10 228-330
1.03
17.6
2.2
41.1
677
0.04
2.3
96.3
88.6
CN25 127-150
testing in progress
Amethyst Gold Breccia Zone (2 drill hole intervals)
AB1 210-236
2.53
168
0.42
335
21050
0.44
53
85.6
73.7
AB4 160-214
0.97
42
0.23
239
3485
0.17
31
85.4
38.9
Dukes Ridge (one drill hole interval)
DR3 98-172
1.07
37.4
1.4
30.6
1862
0.16
8.0
86.9
81.6
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Frank Wright, P.Eng.,
independent metallurgical consultant a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About Benchmark Metals
Benchmark Metals Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on proving and developing
the substantial resource potential of the Lawyer's Gold-Silver Project, located in the prolific Golden
Horseshoe of northern British Columbia, Canada.
The Company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange in
Canada, the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States, and the Tradegate Exchange in Europe.
Benchmark is managed by proven resource sector professionals, who have a track record of advancing
exploration projects from grassroots scenarios through to production.
Benchmark is part of the Metals Group portfolio of companies. Metals Group is an award-winning team
of professionals who stand for technical excellence, painstaking project selection, uncompromising
corporate governance and a unique ability to pan through the rubble to discover and develop golden
opportunities.
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www.metalsgroup.com
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
s/ "John Williamson"
John Williamson
, Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please contact:
Jim Greig
Email:
Telephone: +1 604 260 6977
NEITHER 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 news release may contain certain "forward looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-
looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by
applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.
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