Montreal, Quebec: Aurvista Gold Corporation (“Aurvista” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AVA, OTCQB: ARVSF; Frankfurt: AV2) is pleased to report Preliminary Metallurgical Test results (the “Met Test Results”) for gold recovery at the Company’s Douay Gold Project (“Douay”). Ten sample composites totaling 311 kilograms from the principal gold zones at Douay (Northwest, Douay West, Main Porphyry, 10, 20, 531 and Main) as outlined by Duke (2012)[1], were submitted for metallurgical testing at Base Metallurgical Laboratories in Kamloops (B.C.).
The average gold grade of the sample composites was 1.89 g/t gold. Gold was the primary economic element; other possible revenue generating metals including copper and silver were at trace levels in most of the samples. The samples also contained on average 1.50% sulfur.
Using gravity and flotation, gold recovery to the concentrates was very consistent. The average gold gravity recovery was 26% with flotation recovering an additional 66%, totaling an average 92% recovery. The tests indicated a strong correlation between gold recovery and sulfur recovery, indicating that gold may be associated with the sulfide minerals.
To understand the sulfur and gold relationship, another series of tests were performed to recover a gravity and flotation concentrate, followed by cyanidation leaching of the flotation concentrate. Leaching tests were performed on the flotation concentrate reground to 2 different leach sizes: 20 µm K80 and 15 µm K80. The finer regrind size produced the best performance. The average gold extraction for the gravity, flotation and leach process was 85%. The performance of the two Northwest Zone composites, from a felsic volcanic host rock, improved from the whole feed cyanide leaching (see below), but they still lagged in comparison to the other composites. The average recovery of this process, excluding the Northwest Zone samples was 88.9% in mafic volcanic and porphyry host rocks.
Aurvista’s President and CEO, Jean Lafleur, stated: “We are very pleased and encouraged by these preliminary metallurgical test results, as the early indications for gold recovery are in line with the recoveries achieved elsewhere in the Abitibi Belt at projects with comparable mineralization styles and similar or lower gold grades. Additional drilling and further metallurgical testing is planned toward the end of 2017, and we are confident the recovery process will continue to improve as we advance Douay.”
Mineralogical analysis of the zones indicated the sample composites contained relatively low levels of the iron-sulfide (pyrite), with only trace levels of other sulfide minerals. The remaining host rock was comprised of mainly feldspars (potassium-aluminium silicates), quartz (silicon oxide) and carbonate (iron-calcium rich carbonates) minerals.
A Bond Ball Mill Work Index (the “Work Index”) determination was performed on a combined composite sample of all the zones and the indicated mineralization is considered relatively hard. The Work Index value was determined to be 18.5 kWh/tonne. In addition to gravity concentration and flotation tests initial testing also examined whole feed cyanidation as a possible process to extract gold. The tests were all conducted at a nominal 75µm K80 primary grind size over 2, 6, 24 and 48 hour leach times. Most of the samples displayed relatively fast cyanide leach times reaching a plateau at about 6 hours. The whole feed cyanide leaching response was highly variable: four sample composites achieved greater than 90% extraction. However, the average performance extraction was 81%, with two samples from the Northwest Zone having only 52% extraction. Cyanide and lime consumption was low, averaging 0.3 kg/t and 1.4 kg/t, respectively.
The gravity-flotation-leach process (“GFL”) should result in capital and operating cost advantages over whole ore leach. Flotation process equipment would be required, but the subsequent leach circuit would be approximately one-tenth the size of the whole ore leach process. The cyanide and lime consumption of the GFL process is estimated at only 0.2 kg/t and 0.4 kg/t of the feed. The initial testing produced positive metallurgical response, with further metallurgical testing warranted to optimize metallurgical response and lower the cost of the process.
Douay Gold Project and Company Profile
Aurvista Gold Corporation is a junior gold exploration and development Company advancing the Douay Gold Project in Quebec. The Company has 136,609,900 shares outstanding trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and OTCQB in the US. Aurvista’s Douay Gold Project consists of a 100% owned interest in 250 contiguous claims totaling 133.1 km2, plus a 90% interest in 5 contiguous claims totaling 0.2 km2 and a 75% interest (25% held by SOQUEM) in 32 contiguous claims totaling 11.9 km2. In total, there are 287 claims covering 145.3 km2 located along a 20 km segment of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone in the prolific Abitibi Belt of northern Quebec. Douay is located 40 km SW of the Matagami Base Metal Camp and 150 km N of the Val-d’Or-Malartic Gold Camp (both in Quebec). For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.aurvistagold.com.
Qualified Persons
The technical contents in this news release have been reviewed and approved by Mr. Jean Lafleur, M. Sc., P. Geo., President and CEO for Aurvista Gold Corporation, and Mr. Tom Shouldice, P. Eng., of Base Metallurgical Laboratories, who is independent of Aurvista and who is responsible for the Preliminary Metallurgical Testing. Both individuals are Qualified Persons under National Instrument 43-101.
For further information please contact:
Mr. Jean Lafleur, P. Geo.
President and CEO, Director
Cell: +1 514 927 3633
Mr. Keith C Minty, P. Eng., MBA
Chief Operating Officer
Phone: +1 416 682 2671
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Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements, including the mineral resource estimate and the assumptions used to prepare such estimate, that are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management’s best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company’s expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When used herein, words such as “anticipate”, “will”, “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Aurvista Gold Corporation’s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company’s website at www.aurvistagold.com.
[1] The “Douay Deposit National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report”, by Cliff Duke, P. Eng., of Riverbend Geological Services Inc., dated August 17, 2012, and filed under the Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.