Fulcrum Metals plc has started detailed metallurgical work to adapt and improve non-cyanide technology for optimised metal recovery at its Teck Hughes mine tailings in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada.
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The company will use Extrakt Process Solutions LLC’s proprietary cyanide-free leaching technology to identify optimal leaching conditions via laboratory testing.
The phase III work aims to refine the Extrakt’s technology for gold and silver recovery and cycle time rates.
Extrakt’s TNS™ solid-liquid technology will enhance measures for dewatering and further recoveries, and optimise “recovery and recycling of leaching reagents and mass flow rates”.
Fulcrum additional intends to “scale up” the technology to maximise yield and efficient processing.
Results from the phase III work are expected by December 2025, and will support a 43-101 technical report and preliminary feasibility study level economic assessment, also with Extrakt.
“Our phase III work with Extrakt will proceed in parallel with the auger drilling at the Teck Hughes project,” said chief executive officer Ryan Mee.
“The work programme incorporates Extrakt’s cyanide free leach and TNSTM solid-liquid separation technologies, which should enhance the phase II concept study by increasing recoveries, accelerating leach times, lowering costs through reagent and water recycling, and also deliver materially dry tailings that would provide regional environmental benefits.”
Fulcrum’s second tailings recovery project is at the Sylvanite mine, also in Ontario, Canada.