JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Flotation testwork of supergene material at Stratex International’s Muratdere copper molybdenum project, in Turkey, has yielded sulphide copper recoveries averaging 79.76% copper, together with some recoveries of gold, silver and molybdenum.

Copper contents of the recovered concentrates were in the range of between 31% and 39% copper, indicating that these high-grade copper concentrates would be readily saleable.

Around 11% of the copper within supergene material was nonsulphide copper, which was not possible to recover with flotation, the company said in an update on Wednesday.

Located 250 km west of Ankara, the Muratdere property comprised three licences covering a substantial copper molybdenum porphyry system with gold and silver credits.

The initial resource extended over a distance of some 2 km, but was open to the east, west and at depth, suggesting potential to increase the resource.

Stratex's Turkish partner, Lodos Maden Yatırım Sanayii ve Ticaret (Lodos), had acquired 61% of Muratdere through the completion of drilling and cash payments to Stratex of some $2.2-million and was currently advancing a feasibility study that would see it increasing its interest to 70%.

Following the announcement of a pit design based on two pits using a 0.3% copper cutoff to yield an initial resource of 15-million tons, averaging 0.54% copper and 0.10 g/t gold, Lodos expected to finalise the feasibility study by the end of the year.

“Our partner has made good progress with the detailed feasibility study. The metallurgical testwork has demonstrated encouraging recoveries of copper in concentrate, together with significant recoveries of gold, silver and molybdenum.

“[In addition], Turkish consultancies are undertaking conceptual mine design and preparing tenders for mining and for the processing plant,” outlined Stratex CEO Bob Foster.

Applications for forest permits had, meanwhile, been submitted for geotechnical drilling of the site of the tailings facility, while geotechnical drilling of the site would test the ground's suitability to host the facility.

“The timing of forest permit approval is not expected to impact the completion date of the feasibility study,” the company advised.