A new minable reserve of 425,100 tons grading 2.98% copper has been established at the Murray Brook mine in northern New Brunswick by owner Novagold Resources (TSE).
An additional 55,000 tons of crushed ore averaging 2.5% copper is also available for milling.
The new reserve figure is based on the results from a detailed drilling program. Significant intercepts include 53 ft. of 2.68% copper, 1.18% lead, and 5.74% zinc in hole CZ-61; 56.5 ft. of 2.01% copper, 0.51% lead and 3.22% zinc in hole CZ-65; and 34.4 ft. grading 3.07% copper in hole CZ-73. The company reports that metallurgical testing on chalcopyrite and covellite-bearing ores from the existing open pit and drill core has returned acceptable recoveries using a conventional flotation process. Other reserves exist in the pit area which are not amenable to flotation because of a high zinc content. This ore will be treated separately with a sulphuric acid leach utilizing an extraction facility already in place at the Murray Brook mine.
Drilling to test the economic potential of the down-plunge extension of the copper zone is expected to begin shortly. Previous drilling in this area intersected grades of 3-9% copper over 12-65 ft. widths to a vertical depth of 600 ft., with the mineralization still open to depth.
Murray Brook was originally opened in 1989 as a low-grade gold mine that utilized indoor vat-leaching technology. After the gold reserves were depleted in mid-1992, the company converted the facility into a copper leach operation.
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