How Did Ordell Achieve Over 95% Gold Recovery at McNabs East?
Ordell Minerals reports outstanding metallurgical test results from its McNabs East Prospect, demonstrating potential gold recoveries exceeding 95% via conventional processing methods. These findings significantly de-risk the Barimaia Gold Project ahead of a maiden resource estimate expected later this year.
- Gold recoveries surpass 95% through conventional crush, grind, and CIL processing
- Both transitional and primary litho-types confirmed as free milling
- Gravity recoverable gold accounts for 35-40% of total gold
- Ore hardness is moderate, indicating efficient grinding requirements
- Low reagent consumptions suggest cost-effective processing
Metallurgical Breakthrough at McNabs East
Ordell Minerals Limited has announced compelling metallurgical test results from its McNabs East Prospect within the Barimaia Gold Project, located near Mount Magnet in Western Australia's prolific Murchison region. Independent laboratory ALS Metallurgy Pty Ltd conducted the testwork, revealing potential gold recoveries exceeding 95% using a conventional Carbon-In-Leach (CIL) processing route.
The testwork focused on two representative litho-types, transitional and primary zones, collected along the main mineralised strike. Both samples demonstrated free milling characteristics, with cyanide leach tests achieving gold extractions greater than 95% within 48 hours at a grind size of P80 106 microns. Notably, gravity recoverable gold constituted a significant 35-40% of the total gold content, underscoring the presence of free gold amenable to gravity concentration.
Processing Efficiency and Project De-risking
Beyond high recoveries, the ore hardness was measured as moderate, with Bond ball mill work indices of 10.8 kWh/t for transitional and 13.8 kWh/t for fresh litho-types. This suggests that grinding energy requirements will be manageable, potentially reducing operational costs. Additionally, reagent consumptions for cyanide and lime were low (<0.4 kg/t), indicating efficient chemical usage during processing.
Ordell’s Managing Director, Michael Fowler, highlighted the significance of these results, stating that the findings confirm the mineralisation is amenable to a simple and conventional processing route. This outcome not only supports the economic viability of the project but also helps to de-risk the development pathway as the company advances toward its maiden resource estimate, anticipated in late 2025.
Context Within Ongoing Exploration
The metallurgical success complements a series of exploration milestones at Barimaia, where previous drilling campaigns have delineated shallow, high-grade gold mineralisation across multiple prospects. The McNabs East area, in particular, has been the focus of extensive drilling and geological modelling, revealing a coherent gold anomaly associated with felsic porphyry intrusions within mafic to ultramafic units.
Further metallurgical testwork and systematic infill and extensional drilling are planned to refine the resource and confirm the consistency of these encouraging results across the deposit. The company’s methodical approach, combining robust exploration with detailed metallurgical analysis, positions Barimaia as a promising addition to Western Australia’s gold portfolio.
Bottom Line?
With metallurgical risks mitigated, all eyes now turn to Ordell’s maiden resource estimate, which could redefine Barimaia’s potential.
Questions in the middle?
- Will subsequent metallurgical tests confirm consistent recoveries across the entire deposit?
- How might these results influence the project’s development timeline and capital requirements?
- What are the implications for Ordell’s positioning within the competitive Murchison gold district?
