Copper North Mining Advances PEA for Carmacks Project

Copper North Mining Corp. (TSXV:COL) announced an update investors on progress of metallurgical studies and engineering of the Carmacks copper-gold-silver deposit in Yukon. This news release updates information that was provided in the Company’s July 2, 2015 news release. A new Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) is in progress and should be completed in early May 2016.
As quoted in the press release:

Metallurgical Update
Additional metallurgical test were undertaken at Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd. BV MineralsMetallurgical Division facilities in Richmond, British Columbia. The tests were performed under the supervision of Dr. David Dreisinger P. Eng. of Dreisinger Consulting Inc., Vancouver B.C., who is an Independent Qualified Person for the metallurgical program. The recent tests examined leach characteristics at higher temperatures for both copper leach and cyanidation tests. The test work confirmed that an increase in leach temperature to 80° centigrade improved copper recovery, eliminated the need for a SART circuit and simplified the cyanide circuit for leach recovery of gold and silver. These improvements are being integrated into the agitated leach plan for the Carmacks Project.
Preliminary Economic Assessment
Copper North is progressing with a new PEA that reflects the new leach and development plan. The new PEA will be based on the mineral resources in Zones 1, 4 and 7 that indicate an approximate 7 year mine life (see January 25, 2016 news release). The new PEA report is being advanced by JDS Energy and Mining Inc., Vancouver, B.C. and incorporates an equipment list and costing for processing plant equipment provided by BGRIMM (Beijing General Research Institute Mining and Metallurgy). The copper oxide ores will be mined by open pit and crushed, followed by grinding to 80% minus 664 microns. Leaching of the grind materials in an agitated leach tank yields high recovery of copper with optimal leach time of 4 hours. The rinsed copper leach residues are pumped to the cyanide circuit for leaching of gold and silver with leach time of approximately 12 hours. Cathode copper would be recovered by solvent extraction electro-winning (SXEW) and the gold and silver would be recovered by Merrill Crowe process. The improved leach dynamics indicate improvement of copper and gold recovery while reducing cyanide consumption and simplifying the leach circuit. Further test work is planned for the final determination of optimal leach parameters.
Mineral Resource Expansion
The new mineral resources in zones 2000s, 12 and 13, announced January 25, 2016, will not be included in the PEA. The estimated mineral resources in zones 2000S 12 and 13 will be integrated into a later development plan. The expansion of the Measured and Indicated resources in the new oxide, transition and sulphide resources provides an attractive opportunity for extension of mine life at the Carmacks Project. Additional definition drilling is warranted for zones 2000S, 12 and 13 for inclusion in subsequent development plans (see January 25, 2016 news release). Furthermore, the substantial increase in sulphide mineral resources at shallow depth warrants additional metallurgical test work to confirm the potential to process that material to produce either concentrate or cathode copper, the latter utilizing the leach and SXEW facilities.

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