Alba Mineral Resources plc reported improved grades from further processing and refining of waste tip fines at its Clogau-St David’s gold mine in North Wales.
UNDERSTATED
The company previously modified the gravity recovery plant at the site before taking further samples from material in trenches two and four.
Following processing, average head grades returned 9.2 g/t, an increase from initial sampling in May 2024 of 0 g/t and 5.33 g/t respectively.
“This resampling was as much a test of the reconfigured plant layout as verification of the original trench sampling,” said Alba.
“All concentrate samples assayed by ALS returned gold grades for both trenches with a low of 0.6 g/t, a maximum of 23.9 g/t and an average of 7.9 g/t.
“The back-calculated head grade of the assays averaged 0.22 g/t.”
The company added that the gold grades from assays “significantly understated” the actual gold content in the samples.
“Results from the refinery showed an average concentrate grade of 450.6 g/t from both trenches, equating to an average head grade of 9.2 g/t (2.0 g/t for trench two and 19.9 g/t for trench four)”.
Alba said that the variability in grades reflected the irregularity of gold distribution on the waste tip.
“These latest results from the processing of trenches two and four at the waste tip are very positive for the economics of future waste tip processing,” added executive chairman George Frangeskides.
“The recent pilot processing plant modifications appear to have significantly improved
gold recoveries when compared to the exercise that was undertaken in May 2024.”
COINS
Over the past few weeks the company has also sold three one-ounce, 24-carat Welsh gold coins, made solely from gold mined at Clogau, in a limited edition Tyn-y-Cornel series.
The first sold for £20,000 at auction and the second and third for £21,000 each in a private sale.