Metallurgical Study Confirms Higher Gold Recoveries Attainable at Buckreef Gold
Results return over 90% gold recoveries
TRX Gold Corporation (TSX: TRX) (NYSE American: TRX) (the “Company” or “TRX Gold”) is pleased to announce completion of the ongoing metallurgical variability study at the Buckreef Gold Project, with results confirming excellent gold recovery rates for the processing of sulphide ore.
Metallurgical test work on the sulphide ore portion of the project, which encompasses approximately 90% of the Buckreef Main Zone’s 2M+ ounce Au Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources¹, has been an important area of focus for the Company, as it continues to grow the project in a low-risk, low-cost, value accretive manner. To date, the Buckreef Gold team has successfully delivered 3 mill expansions within 36 months, on time and on budget, thanks to careful planning, budgeting and execution.
As a key value driver for the Company, metallurgical testing began at the Buckreef Main Zone in June of 2021, whereby a straightforward flowsheet comprising of crush, grind, flotation, regrind and CIL was developed by SGS Canada. In a laboratory, bulk sample testing returned gold recoveries between 85.3% to 95.4%. In June 2023, a 6,500-tonne bulk sample of sulphide ore was tested on site at Buckreef Gold’s existing milling facility. This successful test reported gold recoveries from sulphide ore of 88.7%.
The recent and much larger metallurgical variability study reported on today, reiterates results from past test work and is now of greater importance as Buckreef Gold is processing a higher proportion of sulphide ore (80% sulphides to 20% oxides) at its newly expanded milling facility. As part of this recent phase of test work, drill core from a total of 18 metallurgical holes (2,367 meters) along the entire strike of the Buckreef Main deposit, were blended into samples that were then processed and tested against variable benchmarks within a processing flowsheet.
Highlights from the results demonstrate:
- A finer grind size leads to a higher gold recovery: Batch samples were each milled at a specific grind size, incrementally finer in nature, resulting in incrementally improved gold recovery grades. The gold recovery rate increased from 81.2% to 92.5% as the grind became finer from 80% – 53 μm to 80% – 5 μm.
- Results in line with current operational performance: For the 15 composites tested in the most recent study, recovery rates ranged from 79.9% to 87.0% in a gravity + floatation + leaching test at a grind size of 80% – 75 μm, which is consistent with what is being experienced in current operations. Buckreef Gold is also experiencing a relatively consistent tailings grade, regardless of head grade, at a grind size of 80% – 75 μm, further supporting the fact that increased grinding will lead to higher recovery rates.
- Increasing gold recovery in current operations: Test results showed that the gold is finely disseminated in the pyrite and improved recoveries can be achieved by grinding finer below 25µm. An upgrade of the existing Buckreef Process Plant flowsheet to include rougher flotation and subsequent regrinding of the flotation concentrate, by using the regrind ball mill, is expected to achieve the targeted grind size (gold liberation) with minimum energy consumption. The Company is currently developing finer grinding initiatives to achieve gold recoveries above 90% for the sulphide ore.
- Low cost, self-funded expansion opportunities can continue: The positive grade recovery results and increased understanding of the metallurgy of the Buckreef Gold Project, confirm the direction of TRX Gold’s current business strategy, by providing the Company with the optionality for near term mine planning of the sulphide ore. The results also speak to the robust project economics of the Buckreef Gold Project and the potential for future plant expansions and optimizations.
- Positive outlook for additional Mineral Resources: This also bodes well for future Mineral Resource development, as the Company continues to focus on development of other high-priority gold zones, such as Anfield and Eastern Porphyry, where a 2023 brownfield exploration program returned very similar geologic and mineralization characteristics as the Main Zone, to which similar milling processes could apply.
¹Refer to Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
Stephen Mullowney, TRX Gold’s Chief Executive Officer stated “I am pleased to report the results of the met study, which we have been anxiously awaiting. We have just unlocked a key value driver to the Buckreef Gold Project! These results allow us to increase the profitability of the Buckreef Gold mining operation, an already high-margin operation, by means of simple milling circuit optimization and equipment redundancy. The finer you grind, the more gold you’re going to recover. Currently, the grind size is being maintained at 80% passing 75 microns, but as we improve on this, our recoveries from the sulphides should increase considerably! Consequently, further plant expansions will consider potential efficiencies to increase recovery rates. The key is to strike that optimal balance between recovery rates and profitability.”
Sample Protocol
A 1 kg aliquot of each of Composite 3 to Composite 14 at a crush size of 100% – 1.18 mm were blended to form the master composite. The master composite was split into 1 kg aliquots using a rotary splitter. Three 1 kg aliquots from the master composite were milled in a rod mill to target grinds of 80% – 53 µm, 80% – 38 µm and 80% -25 µm. A 200 g aliquot was split from the 80% – 53 µm and wet milled in a ceramic charged ball mill to a target grind of 80% – 5 µm. The grinds were checked by screening the milled material on the specific screens and weighing the oversize material. A 20 g aliquot of the 80% – 5 µm was submitted to an external laboratory for particle size distribution. One 500 g aliquot of the milled sample was submitted for the head chemical analysis.
Qualified Person
Mr. William van Breugel, P.Eng, BASc (Hons), technical Advisor to TRX Gold Corporation, is the Company’s Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 “Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects” (“NI 43-101”) and has reviewed and assumes responsibility for the scientific and technical content in this press release.
About TRX Gold Corporation
TRX Gold is rapidly advancing the Buckreef Gold Project. Anchored by a Mineral Resource published in May 2020, the project currently hosts an NI 43-101 Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 35.88 MT at 1.77 g/t gold containing 2,036,280 oz of gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 17.8 MT at 1.11g/t gold for 635,540 oz of gold. The leadership team is focused on creating both near-term and long-term shareholder value by increasing gold production to generate positive cash flow. The positive cash flow will be utilized for exploratory drilling with the goal of increasing the current gold Resource base and advancing the Sulphide Ore Project which represents 90% of current gold Resources. TRX Gold’s actions are led by the highest ESG standards, evidenced by the relationships and programs that the Company has developed during its nearly two decades of presence in Geita Region, Tanzania.
Investors
Christina Lalli
Vice President, Investor Relations
TRX Gold Corporation
+1-438-399-8665
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined in the applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “hopes”, “intends”, “estimated”, “potential”, “possible” and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results “will”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect TRX Gold management’s expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to continued operating cash flow, expansion of its process plant, estimation of mineral resources, ability to develop value creating activities, recoveries, subsequent project testing, success, scope and viability of mining operations, the timing and amount of estimated future production, and capital expenditure.
Although TRX Gold believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance. The actual achievements of TRX Gold or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. These risks, uncertainties and factors include general business, legal, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties; actual results of exploration activities and economic evaluations; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; changes in costs; future prices of gold and other minerals; mining method, production profile and mine plan; delays in exploration, development and construction activities; changes in government legislation and regulation; the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms and in a timely manner or at all; contests over title to properties; employee relations and shortages of skilled personnel and contractors; the speculative nature of, and the risks involved in, the exploration, development and mining business. These risks are set forth in reports that TRX Gold files with the SEC and the various Canadian securities authorities. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml and the Company’s profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR+”) at www.sedarplus.ca.
The disclosure contained in this press release of a scientific or technical nature relating to the Company’s Buckreef Project has been summarized or extracted from the technical report entitled “The National Instrument 43-101 Independent Technical Report, Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Buckreef Gold Mine Project, Tanzania, East Africa for TRX Gold” with an effective date (the “Effective Date”) of May 15, 2020 (the “2020 Technical Report”). The 2020 Technical Report was prepared by or under the supervision Mr. Wenceslaus Kutekwatekwa (Mining Engineer, Mining and Project Management Consultant) BSc Hons (Mining Eng.), MBA, FSAIMM, of Virimai Projects, and, Dr Frank Crundwell, MBA, PhD, a Consulting Engineer, each of whom is an independent Qualified Person as such term is defined in NI 43-101. The information contained herein is subject to all of the assumptions, qualifications and procedures set out in the 2020 Technical Report and reference should be made to the full details of the 2020 Technical Report which has been filed with the applicable regulatory authorities and is available on the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company did not complete any new work that would warrant reporting material changes in the previously reported Mineral Resource (“MRE”) and Mineral Reserve statements during the prior reporting period. The Company has engaged two globally recognized and respected mining consulting groups to undertake a comprehensive review of the MRE, and economic analysis which was previously conducted under the 2003 CIM code. This in turn follows significant infill and exploration drilling, plus other required technical work undertaken over the prior 18 months. This work is currently being undertaken to be compliant with the November 2019 CIM Code for the Valuation of Mineral Properties, which are different with respect to the 2003 guidelines. There can be no assurance that there will not be a change in the MRE and Mineral Reserve as disclosed in the 2020 Technical Report after such work has been updated (in accordance with the 2019 CIM code).
The information contained in this press release is as of the date of the press release and TRX Gold assumes no duty to update such information.
The TSX and NYSE America have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this press release, which has been prepared by the management of TRX Gold.