Patagonia Gold Corp. announced the successful commencement of leaching operations at its Calcatreu Project in Rio Negro Province. This milestone represents a significant advancement as the Project transitions into its gold recovery cycle.
By Panorama Minero
The initiation of leaching activities follows the completion of construction, commissioning of key infrastructure, and the placement of mineralized material on the heap leach pad. With all necessary regulatory approvals in place and operational systems fully tested, the Company has now begun applying leach solution to the stacked ore.
The commencement of leaching follows the construction and stacking progress update announced in January and confirms advancement in line with the Company’s previously communicated development sequence. Key processing infrastructure, including the carbon-in-column (CIC) circuit, is now operational.
The Company has over 91,300 tonnes of material from the Veta 49 pit, consisting of 73,300 tonnes crushed and stockpiled, and 18,800 tonnes stacked on the leach pad.
“We are pleased to have reached this important milestone at Calcatreu,” said Christopher van Tienhoven, Chief Executive Officer of Patagonia Gold. “The commencement of leaching reflects the dedication and expertise of our team, the strong collaboration with the Province of Rio Negro and local stakeholders, and our commitment to responsible and efficient Project development.”
The Project is being developed on a prominent, multi-vein, epithermal gold and silver mineral system located in the mining-friendly jurisdiction of Rio Negro Province. Development activities have been conducted in accordance with international best practices for environmental stewardship, safety, and community engagement. The Company continues to prioritize sustainable operations and meaningful partnerships with local communities.
Leaching operations will continue on stacked mineralized material with ongoing monitoring of solution flow and recovery performance. Subsequent stages are expected to include loaded carbon processing and doré production as part of normal heap-leach operating cycles. Timing of gold recovery will depend on operational and metallurgical factors typical of heap leach operations.
