PPX Mining Corp. (the "Company" or "PPX") announces that it has engaged Asesores y Consultores Mineros S.A., to prepare the application to modify the existing Semi-detail Environmental Impact Study ("EI") for a processing plant to treat ore from the Callanquitas mine, located in the Company's Igor 4 concession.
A Peruvian subsidiary of the Company is currently permitted to build a heap leach beneficiation plant, but after a careful inhouse review, management has decided to modify the plant configuration to a grind - tank leach plant, as this ore processing method will ensure higher recoveries from the Callanquitas ore, estimated to contain 4.66 g/t gold equivalent, according to the January 18, 2019 Pre-feasibility technical report.
Since 2016, the mine has been operated by Proyectos La Patagonia S.A.C. at about 3000 tons per month, with an average gold grade of approximately 9 g/t.
The plant to be permitted will have a nominal capacity of 350 tons per day and will consist of a two stage crushing, ball milling, cyanide leaching in tanks, followed by solid separation, using countercurrent decantation and precipitation of gold and silver using zinc powder, the so called Merrill Crowe process. This process will be used as the silver grade in the mine increases with depth and recovery of silver using activated carbon becomes no longer economically viable.
In addition, the Company has engaged Metallurgical Testing Services E.I.R.L to assist PPX staff in the preparation of a conceptual flowsheet, mass balances and process description to be used in the preparation of the revised EIA application.
John Thomas, Chief Executive Officer comments "This is the first step in converting our existing mining operation into an integrated gold-silver one. It will eliminate high toll treatment and transport costs that will translate into higher profitability and higher production levels."