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White Cliff Minerals expects new gold resource this month from Aucu

Published: 10:00 07 Mar 2017 AEDT

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Peak of 127 g/t gold

White Cliff Minerals (ASX:WCN) has used a lab in Perth to confirm a number of samples from its 90% owned Aucu gold project located in the Kyrgyz Republic of central Asia.

The average gold grade from 166 duplicate samples measured 6.95 g/t gold with a peak of 127 g/t gold.

The average copper grade from 244 duplicate samples measured 0.83% copper with a peak of 15.2% copper.

The duplicate analyses were undertaken as part of quality assurance requirements for the current resource estimation study expected to be released this month.

Mining consultants have been engaged to complete a new JORC resource estimate for the Aucu to expand on the existing 1.2 million tonnes at 4.2 g/t gold for 156,000 ounces of gold.


Aucu summary

The existing resource starts at surface and has compelling metallurgical characteristics and is amenable to open pit mining.

The new resource estimate will incorporate the high grade gold mineralisation identified at the Quartz Zone during 2016.

Mineralisation starts at surface, extends over 300 metres long and down to 120 metres depth.

The Quartz Zone contains substantial visible gold, both in outcrop at surface and in drill holes at depth.

Gold Mineralisation is still open in both directions and at depth.

The Quartz Zone also contains substantial copper mineralisation adjacent to the gold mineralisation and in the alteration halo surrounding the Quartz Zone.

The company expects further drilling in 2017 to substantially expand the mineralisation at the Quartz Zone.


Metallurgical test work program

In conjunction with the resource estimate, White Cliff is also conducting a substantial gold and copper metallurgical test work program to better outline potential processing options for the deposit.

Metallurgical test work in previous studies produced high gravity gold recoveries of 88.8% gravity recoverable and 99% total recoverable gold.

If these results are encountered again, White Cliff believes that a low cost simple gravity plant could allow the project to provide substantial cash flow within a short time frame.

The metallurgical test work is underway and is expected to be completed and reported in March 2017.

Merolia gold project

White Cliff is also advancing its 100% owned Merolia gold project located near Laverton, Western Australia.

Merolia hosts the Ironstone, Comet Well and Burtville East gold anomalies.

Historical drilling intersected substantial mineralisation including 5 metres at 33 g/t gold, 2 metres at 6.65 g/t gold and 3 metres at 5.3 g/t gold.

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