Zinc of Ireland Limited has reported initial screening leach test results for its ARGO hydrometallurgical recovery technology, achieving up to 99% silver recovery from zinc leach residue materials sourced from European smelters.

The testing program, conducted at the Solvomet research centre in Leuven, Belgium, evaluated material samples from three separate smelter sites. Across the test batches, the ARGO flowsheet yielded average metal recoveries of 93% for silver, 97% for lead, 80% for copper, and 58% for zinc. Individual site results reached up to 100% for lead and 91% for copper.

The current metallurgical work builds on the company's acquisition of 100% of Meclex, the technology's developer, in June 2026. Prior testwork planning established the operational framework to advance the flowsheet from Technology Readiness Level 4 toward a pilot plant phase. That development schedule was reinforced by a development grant equivalent to approximately A$1.2 million secured from the Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship agency in August 2026 to co-fund the Belgian test program.

The technical outcomes demonstrate the process's capacity to extract key metals from zinc leach residue, an output stream that typically accounts for roughly 20% of smelter throughput. By generating cleaner leach products, the method aims to reduce the mass of material sent to landfill while producing outputs suitable for commercial recovery.

“To achieve these outcomes this early in the program is very exciting. This is the next step in the progress of the ARGO Technology since acquisition and provides further confirmation of its ability to treat one of the industries more difficult output streams and recover nearly the full value of what would previously lost metals.”

— Greg Ross, CEO

Zinc of Ireland is currently completing additional laboratory runs focusing on the extraction of critical minerals, including germanium, gallium, and indium, from the same residue materials. The company plans to release those findings shortly.

The resulting data from the initial screening trials will be incorporated into simulation models to establish full-circuit parameters for a commercial installation designed to handle more than 100,000 tonnes per annum. Zinc of Ireland maintains its target to commission a pilot plant for the ARGO technology in early 2027.

Read the full announcement: ARGO Test Results Deliver High Leach Recoveries