Kiska Metals has reported the results of initial metallurgical studies carried out on copper-gold mineralization from its Island Mountain Prospect, Whistler Project, Alaska.
Tests on two composite samples utilizing open circuit flotation followed by cyanide leaching of flotation tailings returned average copper concentrates grading 23% copper with recoveries averaging 67% for copper and 82% for gold.
Two composite samples were collected from the Island Mountain discovery hole, IM09-001, representing the upper intercept (150m 0.72g/t gold, 0.16% copper) and copper-poor lower intercept (107m of 1.22g/t gold and 0.05% copper).
Testing of both zones determined that selective flotation of a copper plus gold concentrate and subsequent cyanide leaching of the combined cleaner and rougher tailings produced a saleable copper concentrate with excellent overall gold recoveries.
This testing was undertaken to determine the metallurgical characteristics of the two distinctly different styles of mineralization noted at Island Mountain and to compare these characteristics with those anticipated at the Whistler Deposit, 23km to the northeast.
Open circuit flotation followed by cyanide leaching of the flotation tailings from the lower intercept recovered 70.6% of the copper and 89.6% of the gold.
The tests produced a copper concentrate grading 23.3%.
Open circuit flotation tests followed by cyanide leaching of the flotation tailings from the upper intercept, recovered 63.4% of copper and 75.1% of gold.