Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) strikes high recoveries at Mandilla Gold Project in WA’s mining heartland
September 17, 2024In the world of mining, few regions stir the imagination like Western Australia’s goldfields, where opportunities and risks converge in the relentless pursuit of precious metal.
At the forefront of this landscape is Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) Mandilla Gold Project, where recent metallurgical results have not only reaffirmed the project’s potential but also de-risked its future significantly.
Highlights:
- Gold recoveries of up to 99.5% at Mandilla’s key deposits (Hestia, Eos, and Iris).
- The project demonstrates low cyanide consumption and coarse grind size efficiency, highlighting potential for reduced processing costs.
- Ongoing exploration at Feysville indicates potential for further resource expansion.
Marc Ducler, Managing Director of Astral Resources (ASX: AAR), summarised the impact of the latest developments: “The exceptional metallurgical results for Hestia, Eos, and Iris continue to highlight the outstanding metallurgical characteristics of the Mandilla Gold Project. These results will positively impact the metrics and economics of the Mandilla Gold Project Pre-Feasibility Study, which is expected to be completed in the June quarter of 2025.”
The standout highlight from these recent tests is the remarkable gold recoveries achieved across multiple deposits, with Hestia recording an impressive 99.5% final recovery after just eight hours of leaching, and Eos and Iris following closely with final recoveries of 98.8% and 96.5% respectively.
What truly distinguishes these results is that they were achieved under relatively modest cyanide concentrations and at a coarse grind size, conditions that reflect real-world processing scenarios and underscore the project’s operational efficiency.
These recoveries are not just impressive from a technical perspective, but they also position Mandilla as a low-cost, high-efficiency project in an industry where such results are hard to come by.
Historically, projects in the Eastern Goldfields have relied on higher cyanide levels and finer grind sizes to extract similar levels of gold.
However, Astral’s decision to test Mandilla under more forgiving conditions demonstrates not only confidence in the project’s geological framework but also opens the door to reduced operational costs moving forward.
It’s important to note that these results extend the consistent performance seen at Mandilla’s flagship deposit, Theia, and suggest that all four deposits—Theia, Hestia, Eos, and Iris—are highly capable of producing sector-leading gold recoveries with minimal reagent consumption.
In a market where margins are often razor-thin, such operational efficiency can have a substantial impact on long-term project viability, positioning Astral Resources for future growth.
Looking ahead, the company is focusing on further exploration with an ambitious drilling program at the Feysville Gold Project, where early indicators are promising, as step-out holes have intersected significant mineralisation that could further expand the resource base, steadily advancing the Mandilla Gold Project in a highly competitive landscape.
As the company continues to refine its Pre-Feasibility Study, the consistent delivery of strong metallurgical and exploration results strengthens its position as one to watch in the Western Australian gold sector
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