KBL produces first zinc concentrate at Mineral Hill

THE DRILL SERGEANT: KBL Mining (ASX: KBL) has produced saleable lead and zinc concentrate from the initial ore mined from the A lode at the company’s Mineral Hill mine in New South Wales.

KBL has carried out a one week process trial to produce a saleable lead and zinc concentrates, from which it said preliminary results indicate the performance through the plant is meeting expectations.

Feed grades from the initial A lode ore have been in line with grade control assays for the 1040 level at 6.3 per cent lead and 2.7 per cent zinc.

Assay results the company has received so far have confirmed recoveries at 87 per cent for lead and 55 per cent for zinc.

The final concentrates contain 45 per cent lead and 46 per cent zinc.

“These initial results are considered highly encouraging with further improvements, particularly for zinc recovery expected from optimisation now in progress,” KBL Mining said in its ASX announcement.

“The ability to process polymetallic ore from the recently exposed A lode is a major milestone for Mineral Hill mine.

“With minimal changes to the existing process plant, the copper circuit was converted to a zinc circuit, while the lead circuit remained unaltered.

“Concentrate production of the lead and zinc is then campaigned through the existing filter.”

KBL explained it will revert the zinc circuit to a copper circuit once the trial has been completed to produce saleable copper and lead concentrates.

The company indicated it intends to implement permanent modifications to the plant to cater for the production of all three concentrates (copper, lead and zinc), which it expects to be happen in the next few months.

Website: www.kblmining.com.au