Gunnison Copper Aktie

https://www.mining.com/excelsior-produces-first-copper-cathode-at-gunnison-in-arizona/

Excelsior Mining Provides Operations Update

Excelsior Mining Corp. (TSX: MIN) (FSE: 3XS) (OTCQX: EXMGF) ("Excelsior" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the following update for the Gunnison Copper Project in Arizona.

Limited operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been implemented in order to optimize many aspects of the production wellfield. Highlights from the wellfield optimization program include:

• The issue of copper precipitates and other precipitates blocking wells has been solved; the upgrades to the wellfield implemented earlier in the year have proven effective;
• Copper grades in the wells that have been consistently operated are in-line with expectations;
• These activities have generated sufficient copper in solution to commence operation of the Solvent Extraction-Electrowinning (SX-EW) production facility, which has been turned on;
• Copper cathode production is expected to commence within 30 days;
• Staffing levels remain reduced and restricted due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Operations have been conducted in a safe manner with only one COVID-19 case at Gunnison reported. In response, successful contact tracing and isolation measures were implemented without any requirement to shut-down operations;
• Expansion of activities to surrounding wells is occurring, with a view to ramping-up to full, nameplate, capacity through 2021; and
• It is expected that additional time will be required during this ramp-up to optimize the wells and resolve any challenges as they occur.

Stephen Twyerould, President and CEO, said, "We are encouraged by the results of our wellfield optimization program and the team's ability to identify and resolve issues as they arise. The upgrades to the wellfield have proven successful; we can easily and efficiently switch back and forth between injection and recovery for backflushing and flow reversals, and this system has shown substantial improvement in well efficiency. After only three-months of acid injection, we have collected enough copper to start initial production; this will allow us to commission and evaluate SX-EW capabilities. Optimization programs are being rolled out to additional wells and we are confident that production will be expanded over the coming months."

Excelsior previously announced the commencement of acid injection and solution recovery through a limited number of wells. The purpose of these activities was to test the modified (retro-fit) wells under small-scale operating conditions and to gain knowledge on the new "Push-Pull" operating procedures (see Excelsior news release dated August 12, 2020). The smaller scale operation also allowed Excelsior to confirm that it could establish operations that minimized health and safety risks from the transmission of COVID-19. Results from current testing confirms that several wells have achieved partial acid breakthrough; these wells have shown no signs of precipitates blocking or restricting recovery flow. Therefore, Excelsior has confirmed that the need to backflush in order to remove precipitates diminishes or goes away entirely once breakthrough has occurred. Wells that have not broken through still require intermittent back flushing using the modified infrastructure, which has proven very effective.

https://www.excelsiormining.com/news/news-2020/excelsior-mining-provides-operations-update-nov