Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2024) - Amex Exploration Inc.(TSXV: AMX) (FSE: MX0) (OTCQX: AMXEF) ("Amex" or the "Company") is pleased to report the metallurgical test work from the Denise, Gratien, Grey Cat and Team gold zones (Figure 1). The overall gold recoveries achieved (gravity + flotation + leaching) tests showed excellent recovery > 95% in all samples and > 98% on high-grade samples (Table 1). For a full list of the metallurgical test results, please see Tables 1-6 below.
As a reminder, on November 11, 2020, Amex reported metallurgy results from High Grade Zone (HGZ), where all three composites returned better than 99% gold recovery using a simple flowsheet. Both low and high-grade composites were tested for all zones. Metallurgical work was completed by SGS Canada Inc., a leader in metallurgical and analytical studies.
Jacques Trottier, PhD, Executive Chairman of the Board of Amex Exploration commented, "This metallurgical work is important data for the upcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment study that we plan to release in the coming months. I am pleased to see such incredibly high gold recoveries from each of our major gold zones defined to date. Better than 95% gold recovery means our ore is easily processable at virtually every mill in the Abitibi, providing us with additional production optionality as we consider various economic scenarios for mining at Perron."
The following sections are extracts from the test work obtained from SGS Laboratories, which have been verified by authorized metallurgists.
Figure 1. Geological map of the Perron Project, showing each of the significant mineralized zones identified to date.
Table 1: Final results (gravity + flotation + leaching) from the metallurgical test work completed from multiple gold zones across the Perron property.
Recovery
Gravity
Gravity + Flot
Gravity +
Gravity
Gravity + Flot
Gravity +
Flot + CN
Flot + CN
Test #
Au
Au
Au
Ag
Ag
Ag
%
%
%
%
%
%
GC-HG
41.7
84.1
97.4
45.6
51.5
60.8
GC-MHG
57.2
90.2
97.9
7.2
22
37.2
G-LG
72.1
94.9
98.9
14.2
28.7
42.6
GA-HG
66.8
92.8
99.8
40.2
80.1
85.1
GR-HG
34.3
95.5
99.7
17.9
77.2
81.6
WD-HG
69.9
93.5
98.8
21.3
36.8
49.1
WD-MG
66.3
93.3
98.9
66.2
80.9
87.1
WD-LG
14.0
74.3
94.6
3.0
14.8
31.3
TZ-LG
57.3
92.4
99.1
20.6
39.9
51.5
TZ-HG
44.8
87.4
98.4
17.5
32.3
45.5
TZ-MG
57.1
90.2
99.2
20.6
39.9
51.6
*Legend GC-HG = Grey Cat - High Grade GC-MHG = Grey Cat - Medium High Grade G-LG = Gratien (Andesite) - Low Grade GA-HG = Gratien Andesite - High Grade GR-HG = Gratien Rhyolite - High Grade WD-HG = Western Denise - High Grade WD-MG = Western Denise - Medium Grade WD-LG = Western Denise - Low Grade TZ-LG = Team Zone - Low Grade TZ-HG = Team Zone - High Grade TZ-MG = Team Zone - Medium Grade
Sample Preparation
Thirteen composites' samples of half core were delivered. Three of the first samples (Grey Cat Zone) were combined to have more material for the test program, then reducing the composites samples for tests to eleven (Table 1). Each sample was stage crushed with a combination of jaw, cone and roll crusher to 100% passing 6 mesh. The sample was homogenized, and a 10 kg sub-sample was rotary split for bond ball mill work index testing (BWI) and the remainder was crushed to 100% passing 10 mesh. The sample was homogenized, and rotary split into 10 kg test charges and a 1 kg head assay charge.
Head Characterization
Gold Analysis by Screened Metallics
The 1 kg charges from each sample were submitted for gold analysis using the screened metallics protocol. This method is recommended when the ore is suspected to contain coarse, gravity recoverable gold. The method involves several stages of pulverizing and screening the pulverized sample at 150 mesh (106 μm) until approximately 20-30 g of material remains in the screen oversize. The screen oversize and duplicate samples of the final combined screen undersize are submitted for chemical analysis and the head assay of the sample calculated from the relative distribution of the screened fractions. The results shown in Table 2 below indicate gold grades ranging from 0.46 g/t to 11.7 g/t, and high gravity recoverable gold, greater than 15% (favorable for gravimetric circuit) for all samples except one sample.
Table 2: Head Assays.
Sample
Head Au (g/t)
+150mesh
-150mesh
% Distribution
Wt. %
g/t
Wt. %
g/t Au A
g/t Au B
+150mesh
-150mesh
GC-HG
3.98
2.63
18.7
97.4
3.76
3.41
12.3
87.7
GC-MHG
0.52
2.56
3.97
97.4
0.67
0.36
3.49
96.5
G-LG
1.27
3.63
7.70
96.4
1.21
1.00
16.1
83.9
GA-HG
11.7
2.62
226
97.4
5.78
6.16
50.3
49.7
GR-HG
5.15
1.78
44.8
98.2
4.33
4.54
15.4
84.6
WD-HG
2.50
1.62
87.9
98.4
1.88
0.88
45.7
54.3
WD-MG
8.11
3.38
138
96.6
3.67
3.45
57.6
42.4
WD-LG
0.46
3.38
0.44
96.6
0.43
0.49
3.38
96.6
TZ-LG
0.91
4.12
8.70
95.9
0.63
0.52
39.4
60.6
TZ-HG
1.36
3.15
6.46
96.9
1.26
1.12
15.3
84.7
TZ-MG
2.49
3.27
34.4
96.7
1.42
1.39
45.4
54.6
Comminution Test Work
Bond Ball Mill Grindability Test
The bond ball mill grindability test was completed on each of the eleven samples. A summary of the test results is presented in Table 3. With bond work index (BWI) values ranging from 14.1 to 20.0 kWh/t, the samples were found to be moderately hard to hard compared to the SGS database.
Table 3: Bond Ball Mill Grindability Test Results.
Sample ID
Mesh of Grind
F80 (μm)
P80 (μm)
Gram per Revolution
Work Index (kWh/t)
Hardness Percentile
Category
GA-HG
100
2319
117
1.66
14.3
50
Medium
GC-HG
100
2454
115
1.08
20
93
Very Hard
GC-MHG
100
2476
114
1.22
17.9
84
Hard
G-LG
100
2389
114
1.34
16.6
76
Hard
GR-HG
100
2517
114
1.28
17.2
80
Hard
TZ-HG
100
2502
114
1.37
16.2
73
Moderately Hard
TZ-LG
100
2441
112
1.40
15.8
68
Moderately Hard
TZ-MG
100
2317
112
1.49
15.1
60
Moderately Hard
WD-HG
100
2471
111
1.55
14.5
52
Medium
WD-LG
100
2547
113
1.40
15.8
68
Moderately Hard
WD-MG
100
2471
109
1.57
14.1
48
Medium
Metallurgical Test Work
Gravity Separation
A single gravity separation test was completed on each composite, evaluating the potential for gravity recoverable gold and silver at a coarse primary grind size (P80 ranging from 184-416 μm) using a Knelson MD-3 concentrator. The Knelson concentrate was submitted for chemical analysis with the tailings subsampled for chemical analysis and flotation testing. The gravity test results are summarized in Table 4.
The Knelson concentrate represents the achievable gravity recovery and was able to recover 34 % to 72 % at gold concentrations of 381 g/t Au and 4711 g/t Au, showing that all samples were very amenable to the gravity separation process; except one sample with lowest grade showed 14% recovery and 39 g/t Au.
Table 4: Gravity Test Results.
Sample
Product
Weight
wt.
Assays, g/t
% Distribution
g
%
Au
Ag
Au
Ag
GC-HG
Gravity Concentrate
5.9
0.1
2092
407
42
46
Gravity Tail
5720
99.9
3.02
< 0.5
58
54
Calculated Head
5726
100
5.17
0.92
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
2.71
0.9
GC-MHG
Gravity Concentrate
7.5
0.08
381
50
57
7
Gravity Tail
9689
99.9
0.22
< 0.5
43
93
Calculated Head
9696
100
0.51
0.54
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
1.76
0.8
G-LG
Gravity Concentrate
14.2
0.15
499
57
72
14
Gravity Tail
9770
99.9
0.28
< 0.5
28
86
Calculated Head
9784
100
1
0.58
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
2.24
0.8
GA-HG
Gravity Concentrate
9.2
0.09
4711
718
67
40
Gravity Tail
9835
99.9
2.19
1
33
60
Calculated Head
9844
100
6.59
1.67
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
4.22
0.9
GR-HG
Gravity Concentrate
5.6
0.11
1168
453
34
18
Gravity Tail
5071
99.9
2.47
2.3
66
82
Calculated Head
5077
100
3.76
2.8
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
2.77
0.9
WD-HG
Gravity Concentrate
7.9
0.08
1169
166
70
21
Gravity Tail
9696
99.9
0.41
< 0.5
30
79
Calculated Head
9704
100
1.36
0.64
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
5.83
1.6
WD-MG
Gravity Concentrate
10.6
0.11
3083
906
66
66
Gravity Tail
9831
99.9
1.69
< 0.5
34
34
Calculated Head
9841
100
5.01
1.48
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
4.07
2.5
WD-LG
Gravity Concentrate
11.4
0.12
39
13
14
3
Gravity Tail
9802
99.9
0.28
< 0.5
86
97
Calculated Head
9813
100
0.33
0.51
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
3.01
1
TZ-LG
Gravity Concentrate
7.1
0.08
1757
168
57
21
Gravity Tail
9193
99.9
1.01
0.5
43
79
Calculated Head
9200
100
2.37
0.63
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
4.25
1.1
TZ-HG
Gravity Concentrate
8.3
0.14
540
75
45
17
Gravity Tail
5878
99.9
0.94
< 0.5
55
83
Calculated Head
5887
100
1.7
0.61
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
4.57
1.2
TZ-MG
Gravity Concentrate
5.7
0.06
1628
217
57
21
Gravity Tail
9549
99.9
0.73
< 0.5
43
79
Calculated Head
9555
100
1.7
0.63
100
100
Direct Head
-
100
2.57
2.9
Flotation
A single flotation test was completed on a 2 kg subsample of each of the gravity tailings to evaluate the potential for additional gold recovery. A simple reagent scheme of 40 g/t potassium amyl xanthate (PAX) as collector and 20 g/t methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC) as frother was used at natural pH. The total flotation time was 10 minutes. Subsamples of the rougher concentrate and rougher tailings were submitted for chemical analysis and half of the rougher tails were forwarded to cyanide leaching. The flotation test results are summarized in Table 5.
The flotation conditions used recovered 70.1% to 93.1% of the gold, which represents 15.9% to 96.0% of the sulphur. Although the recoveries are quite good, it is likely that the gold and silver recovered to the flotation concentrate would be recoverable through direct cyanidation of the gravity tails. The overall gold recoveries achieved (gravity + flotation) tests showed excellent recovery in all the samples, ranging from 74.3% to 95.5%.
Cyanide Leaching
A single cyanide leach test was completed on a sub-sample of each flotation tailing reground to a P80 of ~90 μm to evaluate the recovery of the remaining gold in the sample by bottle roll cyanide leaching. Each sample was leached at a density of 50% solids, with 0.5 g/L cyanide and maintained for 48 hours at pH 10.5 to 11.0. The cyanidation test results are summarized in Table 6.
The cyanidation test conditions used gave excellent results, recovering 79.0 % to 96.7 % of the gold contained in the flotation tailings to the pregnant leach solution after 48 hours.
The overall gold recoveries achieved (gravity + flotation + leaching) tests showed excellent recovery > 95% in all samples and > 98% on high-grade samples.
*Caution - results are preliminary in nature, with the final report expected in the following weeks. Results are not expected to change.
Qualified Person and QA&QC
Jér?me Augustin P.Geo. Ph.D., (OGQ 2134), an independent "qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (the "Qualified Person"), has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release. The drilling campaign and the quality control program have been planned and supervised by Jér?me Augustin. Core logging and sampling were completed by Laurentia Exploration.
Metallurgical test work was completed by SGS Canada Inc. at its Quebec City testing centers. SGS is the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 99,600 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.
About Amex
Amex Exploration Inc. has made significant gold discoveries on its 100% owned high-grade Perron Gold Project located ~110 kilometres north of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, consisting of 117 contiguous claims covering 4,518 hectares. The project is well-serviced by existing infrastructure, on a year-round road, 10 minutes from an airport and just outside the town of Normétal (~8 km). In addition, the project is in close proximity to a number of major gold producers' milling operations. The project host both bulk tonnage and a high-grade gold style mineralization. Since January 2019, Amex has intersected significant gold mineralization in multiple gold zones and discovered copper-rich VMS zones.
For further information please contact:
Victor Cantore President and Chief Executive Officer Amex Exploration: +1-514-866-8209
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-looking statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than of historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including, without limitation, the planned exploration program on the HGZ and Denise Zone, the expected positive exploration results, the extension of the mineralized zones, the timing of the exploration results, the ability of the Company to continue with the exploration program, the availability of the required funds to continue with the exploration and the potential mineralization or potential mineral resources are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "to earn", "to have', "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, failure to meet expected, estimated or planned exploration expenditures, failure to establish estimated mineral resources, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, general business and economic conditions, changes in world gold markets, sufficient labour and equipment being available, changes in laws and permitting requirements, unanticipated weather changes, title disputes and claims, environmental risks as well as those risks identified in the Company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law.
