RE:GRAPHITES Wango,
One poster at ceo.c/spa did quite a bit of work on potential RE (economical) of graphite, but some other posters have already contacted SPA for their opninions. The company has replied (excerpt, available on ceo). Essentially, SPA was aware of graphite occurrence, but also recongnised that to add a by-product stream (graphite) to their main objective of finding and selling gold, they would need to spend quite a bit of effort. NOte that the standard for graphite that can fetch good money is very high. Another fact is that they would need to put in place an off-take agreement (at least say 50% of the production) before financing of the CapEx (to include graphite) can proceed. This would mean
delays in their gold mining/processing permitting, etc, etc... And this could take years.
It's a different story for gold, instead of refining the gold to dore gold bars, they can even sell the concentrates ot other refineries around the world. If somehow they can get Elon (Tesla) to buy all the graphite SPA will produce, then that would be different. Since with this kind of garranty, banks would be willing to provide loan money. In fact Testla could have a JV, i.e. providing the financing for the processing operation as well, e.g. making eV battery components, in a vertical intergration scheme. This would be a dream for some junior graphite companies which have been in this game for several years without any CapEx financing in place for a shovel-ready operation.
The main point: SPA seems to have its emphasis on Au, and if we like wht they are doing, then it would be OK for them not to look at graphite for the moment (sine they know better thn anyone else what they have in their hands, i.e. the quality, and hence value of their graphite. May be dumping them as waste would be the most economical way to handle it? They said they would keep an open mind on this, but I would rather see SPA spending more effort in producing more more at higher grades.
GH11
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Wangotango67 wrote: Wrote - a post on ( ceo.ca ) and well.... it gotr zapped.
All my post content was gone.
So, i'll rewrite it - parphrase - keep it short - to the point
- couldn't find the pie chart that depicts the percentage of carbon ores
- ( second guessing myself )
- i deleved into the Tech report and found the 4 ores
- PAGE - 102 ( 2019 tech report )
- argillites = 10.9%
- tuffs = 13.9%
- siltstone = 12.6%
- crystali tuffs = 15.4%
= 52% carbons
- argillites - known for graphite
- tuffs - if ryholitic - clats and lime - sometimes
- siltstone - shale and slates - known for graphites
- crytal tuffs - sometimes
= 2 strong ores that possess high potentials for grpahites
- i then searched for the ore separation prior to - flotation / extraction of gold
- couldn't find it
- this is important
- it will detrrmine the amount of discarded ores prior to flotation
- i singled out one ore class - argillites
- 1.25% head grade was used for flotation recovery
- i subtracted this 1.25 argillite headgrade with original 10.9% argillite
= 9.65% appears to be the facotr of discarded argillite
- in the GT study - it reported that graphite was an issue during acid flotation
- grapgite consumed more acid
- the trick here is not nessisarily focusing on the - 1.25 argillite / headgrade
- but moreso, the 9.65% discard + other discards and asking the question
= if graphite was stil lfound in the 1.25% headgrade
= how much more graphite could be found in the 9.65% discard ores ?
= which points to the ore separation phase
= how much more graphite could there be ?
- there are two kinds of carbon graphites
- ferro + nonferro ( inorganic + organic )
- organic graphites ( plants etc) can hold a charge = graphene potential
- inorganic / ferro - metallic can be used for severa lother applications - for its carbon value
Not to flog this graphite topic to the point of, turnoff...
But, if a secondary mineral credit could be inserted with in the - PFS -
I'd say...graphite would be my firsrt choice.
if 1.25 headgrade stil lhas grpahite in the argillites ]
then... there's a high probability there's far more in the ore separation being - discarded.
Were in a bull markert for GOLD + BATTERY METALS ...
each of these credits would complimdent another
as mention on ceo.ca - i highly advice SPA to revisit the graphites
in all 4 ore categories
searchinf for = 2 kinds of graphite
arriving at each kind with own percentages in ores
if ever feasable = tacking on a second mineral credit
such would super chargre the - economics
mine planning - modelling along with reclamation = most likely have to be reconfigured.
Hopefully i've addressed this topic of graphite appropriately....
If i've errored - certainly not intentional ...
Please chine in to correct if any errors...
Thanks in advance.
On another note - appears Imperial is seeking to chase their copper with
an underground mine. Jeeze, i have to ask, how much copper could be recovered
using an underground mine model vs open pit ?
Not ot mention the - costs associated and diff permits required to do so....
VERSUS - peerring over a few ranges - few km away -
and crunching the numbers of recieving feedstock from, SPA...?
= there's an advantage in the short term - pulling gold out with a potential graphite
VERSUS - Imperial running the gamut of - underground minjng and waiting for permitting
Just, my own observation.
Wango~