This Preliminary Economic Assessment reports on metallurgical testwork and a proposed processing design for the Cieneguita Project in Chihuahua, Mexico, as of 24 July 2013.
Report context
The Cieneguita Project Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) is current as of 24 July 2013, with the effective date of the Mineral Resource estimate being 16 May 2013. The report was prepared in accordance with Form 43-101F1 and includes certificates of qualified persons in Appendix A. This article focuses solely on the mineral processing and metallurgical testing section of the report (Section 13), which outlines the metallurgical test program objectives and the metallurgical testwork conducted for the project.
Processing route
Metallurgical Test Program Objectives
The metallurgical test program was designed to establish process design criteria for the proposed Cieneguita processing facility. The objectives included determining optimal grind sizes, reagent schemes, flotation conditions, and expected recovery rates for the mineralized material.
Metallurgical Testwork
The testwork program comprised laboratory-scale testing on representative samples of the Cieneguita mineralization. The testwork evaluated comminution characteristics, including bond work index determinations, and flotation response under various reagent regimes. Testing included rougher flotation, cleaner flotation, and regrind optimization studies. Locked-cycle flotation tests were conducted to simulate continuous processing conditions and to generate concentrate samples for downstream evaluation.
The testwork results provided the basis for the proposed flowsheet configuration, which incorporates conventional crushing, grinding, flotation, and concentrate dewatering unit operations. The proposed design employs a standard copper-molybdenum flotation circuit with regrind of rougher concentrate prior to cleaner flotation stages. The testwork program did not include pilot plant or demonstration-scale testing.
Key reported parameters
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Testwork type | Laboratory-scale flotation | , | Metallurgical testwork |
| Testwork scope | Comminution, flotation, locked-cycle | , | Metallurgical testwork |
| Proposed unit operations | Crushing, grinding, flotation, dewatering | , | Proposed design |
| Flotation circuit configuration | Conventional copper-molybdenum with regrind | , | Proposed design |
| Bond work index | Not specified in report section | , | , |
| Recovery rates | Not specified in report section | , | , |
Technical qualifications
The mineral processing and metallurgical testing information in this report section (Section 13) is based solely on the metallurgical test program objectives and the metallurgical testwork as described. The report does not provide specific numerical results such as recovery percentages, concentrate grades, or reagent consumptions within the referenced section. The testwork was conducted at laboratory scale only, with no pilot plant or demonstration-scale testing reported. The proposed flowsheet and processing route are design concepts based on this testwork and have not been demonstrated at an operating scale. This Preliminary Economic Assessment is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves.
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Source: Cieneguita Project , Preliminary Economic Assessment, M3-PN110025, 24 July 2013, Revision 0, Section 13 Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing.
