Albion Process results excellent on Northern Star’s Mount Olympus Project. View the ASX announcement here or read the summary below.
Northern Star Resources Limited (ASX: NST) has announced significant advancements in its Ashburton Gold Project in Western Australia, aiming to establish a standalone 100,000-ounce-per-annum operation. Recent developments include enhanced gold recovery rates from metallurgical testing and promising high-grade drilling results at the Mt Olympus deposit.
Improved Metallurgical Recoveries
Initial metallurgical tests at the Ashburton Project indicated an 80% total gold recovery using bacterial oxidation. Subsequent benchmarking of alternative processes, such as Pressure Oxidation and the Albion Process, has demonstrated improved recoveries of up to 85%. These methods involve producing a bulk pyrite concentrate with gold recovery exceeding 90% through established sulphide flotation techniques. Further cyanidation of the concentrate has yielded gold recoveries greater than 90%, underscoring the potential for more efficient extraction methods.
High-Grade Drilling Results at Mt Olympus
Recent reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling at the Mt Olympus deposit have yielded substantial high-grade intersections, reinforcing the geological model and suggesting a potential increase in the current 1 million-ounce resource. Notable results include:
- 8.0 meters at 13.3 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, including 3.0 meters at 29.6 g/t
- 2.0 meters at 17.7 g/t gold
- 29.0 meters at 4.3 g/t gold
- 31.0 meters at 3.1 g/t gold, including 6.0 meters at 6.5 g/t
- 13.0 meters at 4.1 g/t gold, including 3.5 meters at 8.8 g/t
- 14.0 meters at 3.2 g/t gold
- 14.0 meters at 3.1 g/t gold, including 1.5 meters at 7.0 g/t
- 12.0 meters at 3.0 g/t gold, including 1.7 meters at 7.3 g/t
- 18.0 meters at 3.0 g/t gold
- 9.0 meters at 5.4 g/t gold
These results not only confirm the robustness of the Mt Olympus resource but also highlight the potential for resource expansion and classification upgrades, paving the way for reserve estimation.
Strategic Development and Future Plans
The Ashburton Project encompasses the Mt Olympus deposit, which serves as a central hub surrounded by several high-grade satellite prospects, including Peake, Waugh, Sparta, Electric Dingo, and Cheela. The recent findings underscore the project’s potential to enhance Northern Star’s production profile, complementing the existing operations at the nearby Paulsens Project, which is undergoing expansion to exceed 100,000 ounces per annum.
Infill drilling at Mt Olympus is nearing completion, setting the stage for a comprehensive scoping study. This study will evaluate the feasibility of the proposed standalone operation, incorporating the latest metallurgical and drilling data to inform development strategies.
Conclusion
Northern Star Resources’ recent advancements at the Ashburton Gold Project, marked by improved metallurgical recoveries and high-grade drilling outcomes, significantly bolster the company’s objective of establishing a substantial standalone gold operation. These developments not only enhance the project’s economic viability but also contribute to the long-term growth and sustainability of Northern Star’s gold production portfolio.
