Business
Excelsior Mining Successfully Conducts Production Wellfield Pump Tests and Provides Mine Construction Update
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2019) - Excelsior Mining Corp. (TSX: MIN) (FSE: 3X...
About this update from Gunnison Copper Corp.
[{"type":"text","content":"Excelsior Mining Successfully Conducts Production Wellfield Pump Tests and Provides Mine Construction UpdatePhoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2019) - Excelsior Mining Corp. (TSX: MIN) (FSE: 3XS) (OTCQX: EXMGF) (\"Excelsior\" or the \"Company\") is pleased to confirm that four successful wellfield pump tests have been completed at the Gunnison Copper Project (\"Gunnison\"), in southeast Arizona. The Company is also providing a comprehensive mine construction update. Excelsior remains on scheduled for first copper production in Q4 2019.Excelsior's President & CEO Stephen Twyerould said, \"Our pre-production pump tests have demonstrated hydraulic conductivity that is entirely consistent with our previous hydraulic and economic models. All elements of construction are progressing as per our timetable; first copper production remains on schedule for the end of this year.\" Mr. Twyerould added, \"Excelsior also congratulates Taseko Mines on successfully plating copper cathode at their Florence Copper facility in Arizona. Florence Copper is the only other large-scale in-situ copper recovery project in development today, and Taseko's success adds to Arizona's exclusive history of low-cost in-situ copper mining.\"Excelsior's pump tests were conducted using a total of 34 wells for each test, and all results received to date are consistent with the Company's hydraulic model. These tests consist of drawdown from a central production well, followed by the measurement of the response to this drawdown as seen in the surrounding wells. Information gathered from these pump tests will be used to further optimize production flow rates.Copper mineralization at Excelsior's North Star deposit exists on the surfaces of naturally broken host rock that forms fractured veins cutting through the entire geological system. These veins create an interconnected network that makes the entire deposit permeable. During production, Excelsior will use diluted acid to extract the copper from these fracture veins using the deposits natural permeability to transport fluids. Hydraulic conductivity is crucial to the in-situ mining process, and Excelsior's pre-production pump tests have reconfirmed that the conditions at Gunnison are ideal for in-situ copper extraction. Construction UpdatePowerline: Installation of a new 69kV transmission line is largely co...