Meeka hits 98% gold recovery at WA Murchison project

The results of the latest testwork at Meeka Metals’ (ASX:MEK) WA-based 1.1Moz Murchison Gold Project have turned over average gold recovery grades of 98% for the smallcap explorer. 

Using a gravity recovery centrifuge (a machine which spins crushed ore in such a manner mineralised gold is separated from non-commercial material) Meeka was able to further log an average recovery of 49%. 

The company also adds today that in the leach tests it performed (using acid to extract gold from ore and cyanide to float the gold to the top), low volumes of hazardous chemicals were needed, due to the success at the first two stages. 

All in all, Meeka suspects these developments to greatly benefit the results of a pending PFS for the Murchison project on the radar for mid-2023. 

Steps ahead 

The company says it is assessing the idea of a possible underground mine at Andy Well (a prospect within the Murchison project envelope), as well as a dual underground-open-pit mine at the Turnberry prospect. 

The Turnberry prospect is slated for an upgraded JORC compliant mineral resource later this month encapsulating some 16,000m of drilling conducted since the last iteration.

Meanwhile, the high-impact St. Anne’s prospect continues to be a focus for the exploration team, and that deposit will also have a maiden MRE attached to it in the first quarter of next year. 

Turnberry and St. Anne’s remain the focus of ongoing exploration campaigns at Murchison. 

St. Anne’s to boost PFS 

“High gold recoveries and low cyanide consumption, coupled with the shallow, high-grade oxide nature of the mineralisation, points to St Anne’s making a meaningful contribution to the Pre-feasibility Study due in mid-2023,” Meeka chief Tim Davidson said. 

“With this in mind, the initial St Anne’s Mineral Resource remains on track for the March 2023 quarter, allowing the impact of this additional Mineral Resource on our other mining centres and mill sizing to be optimised.”

The state of Meeka's three month charts

Disclaimer: Market Index helps small-cap ASX listed companies connect with Australian investors through clear and concise articles on key developments. Meeka was a client at the time of publishing. All coverage contains factual information only and should not be interpreted as an opinion or financial advice.