TUNGSTEN: NATungsten considers tails retreatment

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – North American Tungsten of Vancouver is testing material from tailings pond No.3 hoping that it can be economically retreated. The company completed a sonic drilling and modeling program of the material in 2011 and 2012.

Pond No.3 was the primary storage facility for all underground and surface production at the Cantung mine from 1971 until February 2007. During this period, mill feed graded considerably higher than current feed, leading to significant amounts of tungsten trioxide being discarded as tailings, despite good plant recoveries at the time.

The tailings pond has a volume of approximately 2.24 million m³ or between 3.7 million and 4.1 million tonnes. The material grades 0.29-0.35% WO₃, 0.24-0.28% Cu and 0.27-0.33 g/t Au.

The next phase of the plan includes flotation and locked cycle flotation tests. Magnetic separation will also be evaluated. Visit NATungsten.com to follow the progress of the retreatment program.