Metallurgy of Great Importance
Finally, Cerro de Pasco Resources (CSE: CDPR; OTCQB: GPPRF; FRA: N8HP) can show the true potential of its polymetallic Quiulacocha Tailings Project in central Peru: More silver than expected and extremely high-grade gallium with an average grade of 34.61 g/t to date. The company has just presented 177 additional samples from nine drill holes, indicating that the metal content is consistent at depth and laterally over 400 and 600 meters of the drilling area investigated so far.
The results are part of a 40-hole drilling program on the Quiulacocha Tailings Project, which was completed on October 23 of this year. More than 1,000 samples were taken, of which 177 have been analyzed so far, including the SPT04 drill hole reported on October 15. The 177 samples evaluated to date show an average silver content of 1.72 ounces per ton (oz/t) Silver (53.64 g/t Ag), which is 37% above the average of the near-surface drill hole samples reported by Brophy in 2012 in the northern and central sections of the Quiulacocha Tailings Project. In addition to silver, average grades of 1.56% Zn and 0.77% Pb were determined for zinc and lead.
Gallium, an important mineral used in high-performance microchips for advanced military technologies, is present in these 177 samples with an average grade of 34.61 g/t and reaches a maximum of 144 g/t, increasing towards the center of the Quiulacocha Tailings Project. The iron values also indicate a consistent occurrence of pyrite throughout the deposit. Pyrite (estimated at 50% of the tailings) could represent a valuable by-product for the project. The upcoming metallurgical test program will also evaluate the potential for pyrite recovery, including probable grades, by-products, and impurities.
Figure 1: 40-hole Quiulacocha drilling program with drill holes with completed surveys. The bar graph shows, among other things, the silver content over 400 meters of the Quiulacocha tailings.
Guy Goulet, CEO of CDPR, commented: “These results are extremely encouraging and exceed our initial forecasts, particularly regarding the continuity and grade of silver. In addition to zinc, lead, silver, copper, and gold, the evidence of elements such as gallium and indium – which are crucial for advanced 5G technologies, robotics, and nuclear medicine – offers the potential for valuable by-products in the planned concentrates. Representative composite samples are now undergoing metallurgical tests to support further studies. These results will be incorporated into our planning for an expanded drilling campaign, scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2025, focusing on the remaining tailings.”
Conclusion: The analysis results of 177 samples from nine drill holes in the northern and central areas of the polymetallic tailings (Ag-Zn-Pb) represent only about 15% of the current drilling program. In other words: 85% of the results are still pending. Cerro de Pasco is expected to release the remaining samples gradually starting from the beginning of next year. The results should always be evaluated against the background of the historical partial exploration in this part of the Quiulacocha Tailings. To date, the results indicate silver grades that are 37% higher than expected. In addition to the metal grades, the pending results of the metallurgical tests are, of course, crucial for the project’s economic viability. In its preliminary calculations, Cerro de Pasco has publicly based its estimates solely on the historically measured metal grades and a metal recovery rate of 41%. Even with these figures, according to Cerro de Pasco, the project would generate an annual profit of 140 million CAD in a production scenario of 10,000 tons per day / 3.6 million tpa. Therefore, it’s worth paying attention to the metal grades and perhaps even more to the upcoming metallurgy!
