Orca Gold Announces Pre-Feasibility Study Update for its Block 14 Gold Project

Orca Gold (TSXV:ORG) has announced an update on its on-going pre-feasibility study on its Block 14 Gold Project in the Republic of the Sudan.
As quoted in the press release:

The PFS is progressing well with most of the component parts completed. However, due to the delay in receipt of laboratory test results, the PFS is now expected to be finished and reported by June, 2017.
Highlights:

• Water Exploration: testing in four production scale boreholes has confirmed that the aquifer can accommodate the 1.8 Mtpa throughput scenario used in the Preliminary Economic Assessment (the “PEA”), dated July 26, 2016. A second geophysical survey to expand the footprint of the current water resource will begin by mid-March to provide for production expansion.

• Geotechnical Assessment: analysis of logging and test work from a 1,420m diamond core drilling programme supports an increase in the overall slope angle of the pits by at least 8° (from 43° to 51°), which will result in the reduction of waste stripping.

• Mineral Resource Update: a 7,062m infill drill programme has successfully confirmed and expanded the PEA resource estimate, with Indicated Resources going up by 10%. Inferred Resources within the PEA design pit shells have been reduced to less than 3% of the total material.

Details:
Water Exploration
As part of the PFS, a series of four production scale boreholes have been drilled across the HA8 aquifer, 55km north of the proposed process plant location. Pump testing of these boreholes, as supervised by the Company’s consultants, GCS Water and Environmental Consultants, has confirmed that the aquifer is able to accommodate the 1.8 Mtpa throughput scenario used in the PEA, dated July 26, 2016.
Part of the PFS involves the investigation of employing alternative tailings disposal methods to maximize water recovery towards achieving a process plant throughput of up to 2.4 Mtpa. At the same time, the Company is mobilizing a second geophysical survey towards expanding the footprint of the current water resource with the aim of identifying additional water for the Project and the region as a whole. PFS work to date suggests that a throughput level of 2.4 Mtpa optimizes project economics. A filtered tailings option and/or the discovery of more water gives optionality in achieving that throughput level.

Click here to read the full press release.