Gitennes Reports On Progress At The Urumalqui Project
VANCOUVER, BC - Gitennes Exploration Inc. reported on recent developments at the Urumalqui Property, a silver and gold project located in north-central Peru. Since the completion of core drilling in March 2008 the Company has conducted preliminary metallurgical tests, re-logged drill core and has rehabilitated a portion of the underground workings.
Silver and gold mineralization is hosted within a simple quartz-adularia vein surrounded by a much lower grade but broad envelope of disseminated mineralization. Most of the silver is contained in the mineral argentite, the remainder with gold in electrum. Pyrite is also present. Using the 38 widely-spaced holes that intersect the vein three higher grade segments of the deposit that constitute attractive targets are apparent that average 230 g/t silver (6.7 oz/T) and 1.6 g/t gold.
Metallurgy - The processing steps originally envisaged to recover the silver and gold mineralization include crushing and milling, gravity separation followed by flotation, then custom leaching of both the gravity and flotation concentrates in an in-house, closed-circuit cell that would yield gold bullion and silver doré. The concentrate would not be marketed. Though very early-stage, results are encouraging.
Preliminary flotation tests indicate that rougher concentrate can be readily produced that recover approximately 81 to 82% of the silver (a 20:1 concentration factor) and 40 to 46% of the gold (electrum does not float). These flotation recoveries are similar to those at other deposits in the region. Higher yields were obtained in some tests, however it is thought that the results reported here may represent a cost-effective point in the mineral processing and form reasonable guidance at this early stage. Tank leach tests of the rougher concentrates yield over 99% recovery of the silver and 99% of the gold in 24 to 48 hours.
Current tests are now focused upon increasing the gold recovery (as well as silver) through gravity techniques. Methodology and approach remains consistent with those employed at various mining sites in Peru that have similar styles of mineralization. It is not known at this time whether higher yields will be achieved and it is possible that other metallurgical methods may yet prove more attractive.
The company's address is Suite 2390 - 1055 West Hastings Street, Box 60, Vancouver, B.C., V6E 2E9, Tel: (604) 682-7970, Fax: (604) 608-9014.