Promising metallurgical findings validate copper and pyrite prospects
QMines (ASX: QML) has disclosed encouraging outcomes from its preliminary metallurgical testing at the Develin Creek project located in Queensland. The assessments have validated the project’s capacity to generate marketable copper and pyrite concentrates, marking an important achievement for the organization. These findings highlight the economic feasibility of the project, with copper playing a vital role in the global shift towards sustainable energy and electric vehicles.
The generation of pyrite, commonly utilized in the production of sulfuric acid, provides an additional revenue avenue for QMines, increasing the project’s financial potential. The company has conveyed its contentment with the reliability of the results, which meet their expectations and strengthen the project’s long-term value proposition.
As copper prices remain robust and demand is forecasted to grow, these metallurgical results position QMines advantageously in the marketplace. Investors will be keenly observing the subsequent development phase as the company progresses the project toward production.
Additional evaluation needed for zinc production
While the initial metallurgical evaluations have verified the potential for copper and pyrite extraction, further examination is necessary to evaluate the feasibility of zinc recovery at Develin Creek. Zinc, frequently used in galvanizing steel and other industrial processes, could provide considerable upside for QMines if the project can achieve commercial-grade production capabilities.
Initial signs indicate that zinc exists within the ore body; however, further testing will be required to ascertain the most effective processing techniques and recovery rates. The company has stated it will undertake more comprehensive metallurgical studies to enhance its understanding of the zinc mineralization and its possible impact on the overall project economics.
Considering the current robustness in zinc prices, driven by supply limitations and strong demand from the construction and automotive industries, any favorable advancements in this domain could amplify the project’s appeal to investors. Nevertheless, until more conclusive results emerge, the market will probably continue to focus on the already validated copper and pyrite production potential outlined by the initial test findings.
