Canadian North Resources (TSXV: CNRI) and RPC, a Fredericton-based leader in bio-metallurgical technology, reported new technical evaluation results for bioleaching at the Ferguson Lake copper‑nickel‑cobalt‑palladium‑platinum project.
RPC, a respected research and technology organization in New Brunswick, provides leading bioleaching technologies and specialized engineering, scientific and laboratory services.
In the second set of bench-scale bioleaching tests on Ferguson Lake massive sulphides, labs achieved high metal extractions: 99% nickel, 98% cobalt and 90.6% copper. A 65°C test delivered 90.6% copper extraction while maintaining strong nickel and cobalt recoveries. Most metal removal occurred within 28 days (87.7% copper, 98.6% nickel and 98.2% cobalt).
Initial treatment of bioleaching residues showed over 80% recoveries for palladium (82%) and gold (83%). The company plans more extensive testing.
Dr. Kaihui Yang, president and CEO, said: “We are highly excited by the results from the second set of the bio-leaching tests. These new tests confirmed high metal extraction of copper, nickel and cobalt at low temperatures that would not require external heat energy and addition of acid. We are continuing the expanded metallurgical tests to develop a low-cost, low-carbon footprint mineral processing flowsheet for the recovery of nickel, cobalt, copper and PGE using bio-leaching technology at the Ferguson Lake project. With these recent results, we are increasingly confident that bio-leaching technology is an appropriate metallurgical process for the Ferugson Lake deposit.”
The Ferguson Lake property hosts a NI 43‑101 mineral resource estimate announced March 19, 2024: Indicated resources of 66.1 Mt containing 1,093 Mlb copper (0.75%), 678 Mlb nickel (0.47%), 79.3 Mlb cobalt (0.05%), 2.34 Moz Pd (1.10 g/t) and 0.419 Moz Pt (0.19 g/t); and Inferred resources of 25.9 Mt containing 558 Mlb copper (0.98%), 333 Mlb nickel (0.58%), 39.6 Mlb copper (0.07%), 1.192 Moz Pd (1.43 g/t) and 0.205 Moz Pt (0.25 g/t).
Notably, 80% of the indicated resource is open pit (52.7 Mt at 0.65% copper, 0.43% nickel, 0.05% cobalt, 0.97 g/t Pd and 0.17 g/t Pt), providing a strong resource base for potential initial development. The resource model also indicates significant expansion potential along strike and at depth across the 15 km mineralized belt, plus several undefined mineralized zones and prospective areas.
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