Cycladex and Triple 7 Mining, complete scale-up trials, begin construction of commercial gold leaching plant.
Cycladex and Triple 7 Mining, complete scale-up trials, begin construction of commercial gold leaching plant.
Cycladex Ltd, the developer of a patented environmentally clean, safe and effective gold recovery process is pleased to announce that, together with Triple 7 Mining Company (“Triple 7 Mining), a gold company in Arizona US, it has completed scale-up trials in Arizona running more than 20 batches at the pilot scale. The trials demonstrated excellent recoveries and also showed the leaching agent could be continuously recycled in the 20 batch trial with the remaining lixiviant still viable for further recycle driving costs even lower.
The two companies have now purchased vat leaching tanks which will be able to process approximately 15 MT (metric tonne) of ore per day and will form the basis of a small, initial production plant. This can be scaled up in a modular fashion to increase capacity and gold production. Because of the high grade or the Triple 7 mining ore, it was decided to focus on a vat leaching system to expedite gold production and to leave any heap leaching to a later date.
Cycladex’s environmentally clean precious metal recovery process does not use cyanide but a patented ‘disruptive’ chemical process which was developed by Nobel Prize winner Sir Fraser Stoddart, Director for the Center for the Chemistry of Integrated Systems at Northwestern University in Evanston Illinois. Cycladex has been awarded extensive grants by the National Science Foundation in the US for the development of its process and has proven that its technology works on ores from more than 30 mines worldwide.
Key Features of the Cycladex process are:
- Reduced operating and capital costs of 30-50% with a shorter processing time than traditional cyanide techniques, using environmentally friendly chemicals which do not toxic wastewater.
- Existing facilities can be modified to run the process.
- Has been demonstrated on 30 ores sourced from around the world.
- Process has been scaled up and technology transferred
- Has the potential to ‘unlock’ certain stranded gold deposits and difficult-to-treat, gold-bearing materials
It is anticipated that the production will begin in early Q4 subject to any restrictions on travel required to meet Covid 19 regulations.
Commenting today Roger Pettman, Executive Chairman of Cycladex said:
“Our development work is complete and we are now looking forward to commercial production and to prove the technology in a commercial setting. Whilst the initial scale is small, we plan to expand using cash flow generated from operations to increase capacity and our revenue. In addition, we have been approached already by other mine owners who have seen our pilot results and have asked us to expand and build similar modules on their mines as they have not, historically, been able to extract gold.
Tom Boston, President and CEO of Triple 7 Mining Company added:
“We are delighted about the results from the pilot trials and want to extract gold from our ore as soon as possible. The Cycladex team has taken complex Nobel Prize winning chemistry and simplified the operational side so much that we can use inexpensive equipment which is readily available and easy to install. Once the initial scale-up is complete, we look forward to expand the mining and milling operations to meet our gold production targets.
In December 2019, Cycladex successfully raised development funds through London stockbrokers WH Ireland, following a presentation at their family office / high-net-worth Investor Forum and these ensure that the company is well positioned to push forward with its immediate growth plans.