Published: March 27, 2017 |

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Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. has updated the preliminary results of the optimization work being conducted on the feasibility study prepared in 2016 on the company’s 100 percent owned Lindero Gold Project located in the Province of Salta, Argentina.

“We are extremely pleased with gold recovery results to date as they are supportive of our initial view that the Lindero project presents significant opportunities to reduce recovery time and improve gold extraction,” said Jorge Ganoza, president, CEO and director.

“The long lead item in this optimization plan is the metallurgical process. With metallurgical tests almost completed, our engineering team is now in a position to initiate basic engineering activities on several fronts. We plan to have the project ready for a construction decision in the third quarter of 2017,” added Ganoza.

Mineral processing optimization highlights:

• Preliminary tall-column leach tests consistently above 76 percent gold extraction for the four metallurgical types of ore

• Cyanide cure during agglomeration allows over 70 percent gold extraction in the first 30 days of leaching for the four metallurgical types of ore

• Copper concentration in solution amenable to treatment with sulfidization, acidification, recycling and thickening (SART) plant technology

• Agglomeration with modest cement addition to achieve heap heights of approximately 80 meters for 9 millimeter high pressure grinding rolls (HPGR) crushed ore

In September 2016, Fortuna started a pre-construction review of the project with the objective of optimizing certain components of the feasibility study. This review includes the validation of the geological model and resource/reserve estimates, optimization of the mine design, review of the metallurgical process including key metallurgy laboratory tests, and an update of the infrastructure basic engineering.

METALLURGY

Based on existing project information and preliminary results of ongoing metallurgical tests, Fortuna believes that significant improvements can be achieved in gold recovery and leach time compared to the Feasibility Study’s average gold extraction of 68 percent over 240 days.

Optimization of the process design has confirmed the benefit of the use of a HPGR crusher, the inclusion of cyanide cure of ore, and copper removal/ cyanide recovery with a SART plant. Results to date indicate that these components could allow for improved gold leaching kinetics and effective extraction of copper from the pregnant solution.

MINING

A tradeoff analysis evaluating different fleet size equipment has been completed. Results indicate that the mine can accommodate different truck and shovel options, ranging from 150 ton to 50 ton trucks, with varying impacts on CAPEX and OPEX. Final selection of fleet equipment is expected in the third quarter of 2017.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Basic engineering for the infrastructure is being updated to reflect changes from the optimization in mineral process design, project layout, and economic parameters in Argentina since the publication of the Feasibility Study in early 2016.

ABOUT THE LINDERO GOLD PROJECT
In July 2016, Fortuna completed the acquisition of Goldrock Mines Corp. whose principal asset was the Lindero Project. In addition to the feasibility study, Lindero has an approved environmental impact study and has been granted all major permits for the construction of an 18,750 tpd open pit, heap leach gold mine. The Feasibility Study considers a life of mine average annual production for the first nine years of approximately 108,000 ounces of gold at an all-in sustaining cash cost of US$715 per ounce of gold.

To read more details in the company’s press release, CLICK HERE

About Fortuna Silver Mines
Fortuna is a growth oriented, precious metals producer focused on mining opportunities in Latin America. The company’s primary assets are the Caylloma silver Mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold Mine in Mexico and the Lindero gold Project in Argentina. The company is selectively pursuing acquisition opportunities throughout the Americas and in select other areas.

To stop by by Fortuna Silver’s website, CLICK HERE