Argentina's El Quevar Silver Project Achieves Up to 96% Silver Recovery in Preliminary Flotation Tests

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 21, Argenta Silver announced the results of the first batch of metallurgical variability tests for the Yaxtché deposit at its El Quevar silver project in Salta Province, Argentina. Fifteen representative drill core samples completed rougher flotation tests, of which 13 samples achieved an average silver recovery of approximately 95%, with the highest reaching 99% across all samples; two representative samples were then selected for cleaner flotation, of which sample EQ-VAR-06 achieved 96% silver recovery after the third cleaning stage, with the final concentrate silver grade reaching 14,857 g/t.

The metallurgical testing was conducted by Blue Coast Research of Canada. The 15 samples were selected based on a three-dimensional block model, drill hole assays, lithology, alteration, mineralization, and oxidation degree, and covered different spatial locations, depths, and silver grade ranges within the Yaxtché deposit. Rougher tests showed that multiple samples exhibited fast flotation kinetics, with EQ-VAR-06 achieving 97% silver recovery in rougher flotation and a rougher concentrate silver grade of 6,058 g/t; subsequent three cleaning stages increased the concentrate grade to 14,857 g/t while maintaining approximately 96% overall silver recovery.

Another sample subjected to cleaner testing, EQ-VAR-15, had a head grade of 386 g/t silver, and after the third cleaning stage achieved a silver concentrate grade of 3,364 g/t with approximately 90.7% silver recovery. Argenta Silver's testing used a conventional rougher-cleaner flotation flowsheet, and will continue with cleaner testing of the remaining samples, preparation of a master composite, locked-cycle tests, reagent condition optimization, and blending studies. The remaining metallurgical test work is planned for completion in approximately 45 to 60 days.

The next phase will also include automated quantitative mineralogy analysis to study the occurrence and recovery characteristics of silver in different minerals, as well as determination of silver, lead, zinc, copper, and potentially deleterious element contents in the final concentrate. The results will be used to determine final concentrate product specifications and flotation conditions for different ore types.

El Quevar is currently advancing resource expansion drilling in parallel. Since May 26, 2025, Argenta Silver has completed 89 drill holes totaling more than 25,500 meters and has expanded the overall drilling program to 45,000 meters, with two drill rigs currently dedicated to resource expansion and exploration of new mineralization targets, respectively. The project has also conducted ground magnetic geophysical surveys covering more than 80 square kilometers.

Yaxtché currently has an indicated resource of 2.93 million tonnes at an average silver grade of 482 g/t, containing 45.3 million ounces of silver; and an inferred resource of 310,000 tonnes at an average silver grade of 417 g/t, containing 4.1 million ounces of silver.