Barksdale Resources Reports Positive Test Results
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Barksdale Resources Reports Positive Test Results

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Fernando Mares By Fernando Mares | Journalist & Industry Analyst - Mon, 06/13/2022 - 17:08

Barksdale Resources has reported positive results from its first metallurgical test work at the San Javier copper-gold project located in Sonora. The collected information will help the company to develop optimal processing options for the promising project.

According to the company, the San Javier Project reported predominantly copper mineralization with isolated zones of sulfides and mixed oxide-sulfide mineralization. It has four composites representing three oxides and one sulfide-dominant mineralized zone, which were evaluated by column leach tests to see the impact of acid cure on the extraction of copper from crushed material. Each composite underwent two column tests, one with acid agglomeration cure and the other one without. The extraction of acid soluble copper ranged between 77 and 93 percent. For acid and cyanide soluble copper, extraction ranged between 72 and 89 percent. 

“The results of the San Javier column leach testing program have demonstrated strong recoveries of oxide copper while also shedding considerable light on the potential of a low-cost style operation that does not require agglomeration and has low acid consumption. These initial metallurgical recovery parameters will assist in the calculation of our initial resource at Cerro Verde and feed into a preliminary economic study,” said Rick Trotman, President and CEO, Barksdale Resources. 

The columns that contained acid cure provided faster recovery of copper during the first 30 to 60 days of irrigation. Nevertheless, they did not extract more copper than using raffinate alone. In addition, Barksdale’s net acid consumption was lower using only raffinate than using an acid cure. This is important because low net acid consumption could help the company reduce its operational costs.  

The company stated that future metallurgical test works would evaluate the heap leach heights and primary cycle times to optimize the copper solution and acid consumption parameters, as well as to review and possibly increase in the crush size beyond one inch on the acid- and cyanide-dominate mineralization.

In 2021, the company received approval to carry out Phase 1 of its drilling program with the aim of updating San Javier’s historical estimates, which were considered to be unreliable, while using the new data to guide future exploration and drilling programs. 

The San Javier property is located in central Sonora, 125km from Hermosillo City. It entails 12 separate mining concessions totaling 1,184ha, where multiple zones of copper mineralization have already been identified. Companies like Phelps Dodge and Peñoles have previously explored and drilled the property, although it has not been actively operated on since 2007.

Barksdale Resources is a Canadian exploration company focusing on the acquisition, exploration and advancement of prospective base metal projects in North America. It currently owns three projects: the Sunnyside copper-zinc-lead-silver project, the San Antonio copper project and the San Javier copper-gold project.
 

Photo by:   Arno van Rensburg

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