Test Material and Objective

A 15 kg composite sample of black sand gravity table tailings was collected from a large-scale conventional placer (gravity) gold mine in Alaska. The objective was to determine the residual gold content, assess the leachability of this material, and evaluate process kinetics for potential large-scale recovery of gold values currently reporting to tailings.

Black sand tailings from shaker tables typically comprise magnetite, ilmenite, hematite, and other dense gangue minerals, with losses of ultra-fine or flat gold common due to hydraulic displacement during gravity concentration. The received sample was uncrushed, preserving its as-produced particle size distribution.

Bottle Roll Leach Program

The sample underwent a seven-day bottle roll leach using RZOLV™ at a pulp density of 10% (w/w solids). Gold extraction efficiency was quantified by atomic absorption analysis of pregnant leach solutions and corresponding fire assay of solid residues by ALS labs. Throughout the test period, solution chemistry remained stable, with no significant variation in pH, oxidation–reduction potential, or temperature. Reagent consumption was negligible and consistent with projected process requirements.

Metallurgical test results confirm that RZOLV™ effectively liberates and solubilizes fine gold particles encapsulated within high-density mineral tailings produced by gravity recovery circuits. The elevated residual gold grades observed in the tested table tailings indicate strong potential for secondary metal recovery from material traditionally classified as waste, thereby increasing overall resource utilization and mine yield.

The application of a non-cyanide, aqueous lixiviant eliminates the handling and storage risks associated with conventional cyanidation reagents, while facilitating compliance with stringent environmental regulations in jurisdictions such as Alaska.

Next Steps

The Company will proceed with a structured program of agitated leach kinetics studies, which to date have demonstrated materially reduced leach residence times. Subsequent phases will include pilot-scale continuous leach trials to quantify metallurgical performance metrics, including steady-state gold dissolution rates, reagent consumption profiles, and carbon adsorption/elution efficiencies. Data from these studies will support the engineering of a scalable, modular recovery circuit suitable for deployment at operating sites.

About Innovation Mining

Based in Vancouver, BC, Innovation Mining Inc. is a clean-technology company developing advanced hydrometallurgical solutions for precious metal recovery. Its flagship reagent system, RZOLV™, is engineered to deliver cyanide-comparable recoveries in a non-toxic, environmentally benign formulation suitable for heap, vat, tank, and gold concentrate leaching applications.