Technical report dated January 15, 2023 describes a proposed gravity-flotation processing route for a gold-sulphide deposit with optional circuits for polymetallic and lead-antimony ore varieties.
Report context
This technical report, dated January 15, 2023, covers the Azatek gold and polymetallic deposit in Armenia for Emerging Goldfields Resources Ltd. The processing and metallurgical section (Section 13) draws primarily on research conducted from 1951 to 2015 by multiple institutions, principally Armniprozvetmet, with confirmatory work by GBM in 2013. The deposit has been studied over approximately 40 years, during which its commercial focus shifted from antimony to polymetallic to gold-silver. The report describes two geological-technological ore types: gold-sulphide (with pyritic and polymetallic varieties) and gold-lead-antimonic.
Processing route
The proposed plant flowsheet uses gravity and flotation methods, designed for flexible operation depending on the ore variety being processed. Three optional operating modes are described: processing all Azatek ore as a single gold-sulphide type, processing polymetallic ore only, or processing lead-antimony ore only.
Comminution
Coarse crushing of run-of-mine feed is followed by semi-autogenous grinding (SAG milling). The SAG mill product screen undersize reports to intermediate flotation in closed circuit with a ball mill. Classification overflow feeds the intermediate flotation stage.
Recovery stages
Intermediate flotation on SAG mill product includes recleaning of antimony or copper-gold concentrates, depending on the mineral variety in plant feed. Tailings from intermediate flotation report to centrifugal concentration, producing a gravity gold concentrate.
The second grinding stage treats intermediate flotation tailings in a ball mill. Sulphide flotation on the second-stage classification discharge includes rougher, scavenger and cleaner flotation.
Concentrate handling
Three concentrate streams are described:
- Copper-gold concentrate: thickening, filtration and drying.
- Antimony concentrate: thickening, filtration and drying.
- Combined bulk concentrate: thickening and filtration only.
Tailings and reagents
Tailings undergo thickening, filtration and semi-dry storage. No reagent types or dosages are specified in the report sections reviewed. No water recovery or recycle details are provided.
Radiometric sorting consideration
The report notes that radiometric concentration testing showed Azatek ore to be "very contrast." It recommends investigation of an ore-control station of РКС-А type ("Rados" Krasnoyarsk Company) or similar equipment to form ore flows and enable optional plant operation. This is a proposed investigation, not an installed system.
Key reported parameters
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold grade range (samples) | 1.6 – 7.0 | g/t | Testwork samples |
| Silver grade range (samples) | 30 – 200 | g/t | Testwork samples |
| Copper (samples) | Trace – 2.0 | % | Testwork samples |
| Lead (samples) | 0.1 – 2.0 | % | Testwork samples |
| Antimony (samples) | 0.1 – 2.0 | % | Testwork samples |
| Zinc (samples) | 0.1 – 3.0 | % | Testwork samples |
| Antimony recovery (hydrometallurgical test) | 97.5 | % | Testwork (leach-cementation) |
| Bulk density (fresh rock) | 2.68 | g/cm³ | Physical testing |
| Bulk density (altered rock) | 2.53 | g/cm³ | Physical testing |
| Uniaxial compressive strength (fresh rock) | 170 | MPa | Physical testing |
| Uniaxial compressive strength (altered rock) | 75 | MPa | Physical testing |
| Protodyakonov hardness range | 8 – 18 | scale | Physical testing |
| Swell factor (broken rock mass) | 1.52 | ratio | Physical testing |
| Lumpiness – fraction ≤200 mm | 44 | % | Physical testing |
| Lumpiness – fraction ≤400 mm | 26 | % | Physical testing |
| Lumpiness – fraction >400 mm | 30 | % | Physical testing |
Project website: https://www.ecolur.org/en/news/mining/15988/
Technical qualifications
This profile is based solely on the original report Markdown, Sections 13 and 17. No Bond work indices, grind sizes, reagent consumptions, flotation times, equipment dimensions, flowsheet stage summaries, or overall recoveries are provided in the cited sections. The recommended radiometric sorter (Rados PKC-A) is proposed for investigation, not installed. Two ore types are defined (gold-sulphide and gold-lead-antimonic) but no definitive process design criteria are given. The testwork spans 1951–2015 and includes samples that pre-1973 may not be representative of current gold-dominant mineralization. The report notes that Bond abrasion index, Bond ball mill work index, and JKTech drop weight test values would be required to specify process design but have not been determined.
Source: NI 43-101 Technical Report, Azatek Deposit, Armenia, for Emerging Goldfields Resources Ltd., by Ricardo A. Valls, Valls Geoconsultant, cover dated January 15, 2023. Reviewed sections: 13 (Mineral processing and metallurgical testing) and 17 (Recovery methods).
