Nex Metals Explorations Ltd has identified a processing pathway to increase gold recovery at its Kookynie Tailings Project to 71%, up from 52% in initial test work. The improved recovery rate results from incorporating a light grind circuit—targeting a P80 of 106 μm—combined with carbon-in-leach processing.

The test work utilized two 50 kg bulk samples collected from the site, which returned head grades of 0.94 g/t Au and 0.96 g/t Au. These results align with previous drilling data, confirming the samples are representative of the broader tailings inventory. Beyond the primary focus on gold, the company identified tungsten in the form of scheelite within the tailings. Gravity concentration tests confirmed that the scheelite reports to the gravity concentrate, prompting further evaluation of a secondary tungsten by-product.

“These results represent an important milestone in the technical development of the Kookynie Tailings Project. Through a disciplined and methodical metallurgical test work programme, we have demonstrated a clear pathway to materially improve gold recovery using a relatively simple processing route. Increasing overall gold recovery from 52% to 71% is a meaningful outcome in its own right. More importantly, these improvements have been achieved through conventional processing techniques that provide a solid foundation for the next phase of process validation.”

— Ken Allen, Managing Director

The Kookynie project is being advanced in partnership with the Wangkatja Tjungula Aboriginal Corporation (WTAC) under a profit-sharing and empowerment agreement. This project aligns with Nex Metals Explorations' broader capital-light growth strategy, which includes international project development and a joint venture with WTAC for exploration across Western Australia.

Environmental testing also returned positive results, with no deleterious elements identified above World Health Organization guideline levels. The next technical milestone for the project is the validation of the proposed processing flowsheet to optimize these recovery gains.

Read the full announcement: Kookynie Tailings results demonstrate gold recovery pathway