December 5, 2016. Thompson Falls, Montana. United States Antimony Corporation (“USAC”, NYSE MKT “UAMY”) reported that production testing of the Los Juarez circuits has begun.
The alkaline leach plant in Mexico has been installed, tested, and recoveries are now being verified. Approximately 19.8 metric tons of concentrates from previous milling will be processed during December and the beginning of 2017. Answers to questions from our original application for the cyanide permit to leach the mill tailings have been submitted to SEMARNAT, and the permit is being vigorously pursued. Previously mined mill feed from a 19,000 metric ton stockpile at the Los Juarez property will be hauled to the mill in Guanajuato. The flotation mill will be started during Q1 2017. Mining at greater depths in the pits and in close proximity will commence. USAC will continue operating while the cyanide circuit is added in stages using internally generated cash flows.
The objectives of the production testing are as follows:
- To further verify costs, grades, and recoveries of the circuit.
- To determine whether rock at greater depth is less oxidized and will yield better recoveries than near surface rock.
- To further study the recovery of gold. Mill recoveries of gold have varied from 30% to more than 90%.
- To further open up the deposit and perform more drilling.
- Cautious production testing will minimize the risk of encountering a fatal flaw.
- To determine whether the cyanide leach plant is necessary. Two options are considered. Option 1 is using the floatation mill and the alkaline leach circuit. Option 2 will be the flotation mill, alkaline leach circuit, and the cyanide leach plant for the mill tailings.
Metal | Assay | Option1 recovery | Option2 recovery | Price | Option1 Value | Option 2 Value |
Gold | 0.044 opmt | 50% | 90% | $1,175/oz | $25.85 | $46.53 |
Silver | 3.0 opmt | 70% | 90% | $16.60/oz | $34.86 | $44.98 |
Antimony | 0.71% | 70% | 70% | $3.40/lb | $37.25 | $37.25 |
Total |
|
|
|
| $97.96 | $128.76 |
(opmt = ounces per metric ton)
USAC does not claim any reserves at the Los Juarez deposit in accordance with S. E. C. definitions or per Canadian Institute 43-101.
The Australian concentrates will be finished by the end of December, but the processing of the slag for gold will continue into 2017. Presently, USAC is ramping up production at the Wadley and Soyatal properties in Mexico.
The new BRZ sales representatives have five new truckload customers, and two of them have ordered their second truckload. Most of the new customers are in the dairy business and BRZ is now expanding its focus to poultry and hog producers.
Following are the sales estimates for November 2016:
Product | November 2016 |
Antimony pounds | 240,692 |
BRZ zeolite tons | 1,115 |
Gold from Australia ounces | 90 |
During November, the average Rotterdam price per metric ton of antimony metal was $7,550.00 ($3.42 per pound); during October it was $7,740.00 ($3.51 per pound) a decrease of $0.09 per pound.
CEO John Lawrence said that “we are excited to begin initial pilot production from the Los Juarez deposit and will determine optimum operating conditions from trials throughout 2017.”
About U.S. Antimony
US Antimony is a growing, vertically-integrated natural resource company that has production and diversified operations in precious metals, zeolite and antimony.
Original Article: http://www.usantimony.com/2016_newsroom.htm
