Coda Minerals reports successful metallurgical test work

Coda Minerals Limited (ASX: $COD) has reported a significant breakthrough in metallurgical test work at its 100%-owned Elizabeth Creek Copper-Cobalt Project in South Australia. The test work, focused on the Windabout deposit, has demonstrated a pathway to achieving higher copper recoveries, with potential positive implications for the entire project. The Company's CEO, Chris Stevens, highlighted the importance of these results in potentially delivering a major uplift in metal recoveries without incurring significant additional costs.

Executive commentary on metallurgical test work

To deliver a transformational uplift at Elizabeth Creek, we have two major levers to pull: the first is in exploring for additional Resources and the second is in seeking to increase copper recoveries. This work is the first step in achieving improvements to recoveries by delivering a major uplift during the rougher float stages without incurring any significant additional costs. Pursuing an increase in recovery numbers is extremely important as it essentially delivers more payable metal from the same number of mined tonnes without a material increase in costs. We have commenced test work with Windabout, which has the lowest overall recoveries across the Project, but we anticipate that this change in flotation collectors will also deliver major improvements for the MG14 and Emmie Bluff deposits. These tests show that this work has been extremely worthwhile, demonstrating unequivocally that the right combination of reagents can concentrate the oxides within these deposits. With this successful application during the rougher stage, we will now progress to test work across the whole flotation process through to cleaner concentrate. Following that we will then undertake test work on MG14 and Emmie Bluff as well. Once complete, we anticipate that this work will give us updated recovery numbers for each deposit, flowing through ultimately to a potentially significant boost to overall project economics.

Summary of metallurgical test work and outlook

The metallurgical test work at Coda Minerals' Elizabeth Creek Copper-Cobalt Project has shown promising results, indicating a pathway to achieving higher copper recoveries. The Company's focus on improving recoveries without incurring significant additional costs is a strategic move to potentially deliver a major uplift in metal recoveries. The successful application of novel oxide collectors during the rougher stage has paved the way for further test work across the entire flotation process, with the potential to significantly boost overall project economics. The Company's ambitions to optimize the reagent scheme and assess factors that could improve copper recovery demonstrate a proactive approach towards maximizing the project's potential. If successful, the proposed test work has the potential to improve project economics by reducing copper losses, adjusting mine planning equations, and potentially allowing for CAPEX reductions.