Gemdale Gold Inc. (TSXV:GEMG; OTCQB:GDGIF) has reported preliminary metallurgical test results from its 100% owned Pontio Gold Project in western-central Finland. Work by SLR Consulting in Truro, United Kingdom, examined leaching and flotation options using material from the company’s 2026 drilling campaigns.
#Gold recovery through cyanide leaching
The test programme achieved 91% gold recovery through conventional cyanide leaching without flotation. The result was reached within 8 hours, with cyanide consumption reported at 0.6 kg/t.
The company said the results indicate that the gold is non-refractory. Copper recovery into the leach solution began to affect gold recovery only after more than 30 hours of residence time, when total cyanide consumption also started to increase.
#Flotation results for copper and gold
Separate open-circuit flotation testing produced up to 87.5% copper recovery and 70.5% recovery of total gold into a bulk sulphide rougher concentrate. The result came from testing using a 75 micron grind, 17 minutes of residence time and a pH of 6.
Gemdale Gold said the open-circuit figures represent an upper recovery limit. Final recoveries would depend on the results achieved as material moves from roughing to cleaning in a closed circuit.
An open-circuit cleaning test produced a bulk sulphide concentrate containing 6.5% Cu and 47.5 g/t Au. The company said no attempt had yet been made to suppress pyrrhotite. Pyrrhotite accounted for 90% of the sulphides in the bulk sulphide concentrate, meaning additional work is required to examine how its removal could affect copper values and gold recoveries.
#Test sample and mineralogy
The work used a 36.2 kg bulk sample made from laboratory coarse rejects of diamond core collected from several holes drilled during the Phase 1 2026 programme. Material came from the northern and southern sectors of the M2 Trend and was selected to reflect the grades and rock types identified by drilling to date.
SLR Consulting considered the test feed to contain approximately 0.70 ppm Au and 0.071% Cu. Total sulphide content was reported at <0.4%, with 90% of the sulphides identified as pyrrhotite and the remainder comprising chalcopyrite, minor pyrite and sphalerite. The preliminary mineralogical work identified no significant deleterious elements.
The testing programme included mineralogical analysis, grindability work, particle-size testing, bulk leaching and flotation. The reported grindability work indicated that 55 minutes and 42 seconds was required for more than 80% of the material to pass 53 microns.
#Further test work and resource planning
Gemdale Gold said SLR Consulting will conduct a full locked-cycle test using the best-performing flowsheet within the next month. A kinetic leach test on the resulting tails is also planned, along with tests examining pyrrhotite extraction from the bulk sulphide concentrate and the effect on gold recoveries.
The company said the continuing processing work will support technical evaluations for a planned maiden Mineral Resource Estimate at Pontio in early 2027. Dr. Toby Strauss, Gemdale Gold’s President and CEO, described the preliminary results as an important milestone and said the company was assessing development pathways that could include copper as a by-product. These comments concern the company’s plans and assessment of the project; the reported flotation figures remain based on open-circuit testing.
#Pontio project context
Gemdale Gold said gold mineralisation at Pontio has been outlined by approximately 17.5 km of diamond drilling over a 4km strike length along the M2 Trend. The mineralisation is near surface, beneath a thin layer of soil, sand and gravel, and has been identified to at least 150m vertically, with estimated true thickness ranging from 20->150m.
The Pontio project is located in a historical mining district with paved roads, access to power and rail lines within a few kilometres, as well as local services, port access, smelters and refineries, according to the company.
Gemdale Gold also holds the Isoneva exploration-stage gold project in western-central Finland. The property is subject to an option agreement with Nordique Resources Inc., under which Nordique may earn a 100% interest by, among other things, funding exploration expenditures over a three-year period and making additional financial commitments to Gemdale Gold. Further terms apply to that agreement.
#Key Takeaways
- Preliminary cyanide-leach testing produced 91% gold recovery within 8 hours, with cyanide consumption of 0.6 kg/t.
- Open-circuit flotation achieved up to 87.5% copper recovery and 70.5% total gold recovery into a bulk sulphide rougher concentrate.
- A cleaning test produced concentrate grading of 6.5% Cu and 47.5 g/t Au, while pyrrhotite suppression has not yet been tested.
- Further locked-cycle, kinetic-leach and pyrrhotite-extraction tests are planned.
- The company plans to use the processing work in technical evaluations supporting a planned early-2027 maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.
Original source: Read original article