REVENUE MODEL

 

The reported average Au content of the Portovelo-Zaruma geology is 20.2 gms./ton for the Vizkaya vein (0.08 gms./ton – 175gms./ton) and 25.3 gms./ton up to 70 gms./ton for the Nikol vein. 

 

It is well documented that ASG miner’s Au recovery in ore processing is 30% with 70% lost as Hg flour  tailings Au, and 100% of the silver ("Ag")  considered a contaminant is lost as tailings, and Nitric Acid rinsing of the dore after roasting. 

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Calculating the residual Au in each pond using 5 gms./ton & 10 gms./ton estimates the Au content ranging from 410 oz – 10,607 oz for the smaller pond, and 820 oz – 21,214 oz for the larger pond.

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In 2013, the construction of the El Tablón communities tailings facility ("CTF") mandated in 2003 was initiated by the provincial Government of El Oro. The estimated lifetime of El Tablón is ~ 20 years during which time it was to receive an estimated 900,000 tonnes of tailings per annum from most of the processing plants in the region.

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However, a recent Article published in the Journal of Applied Science February 2015, of Scientists using electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) on the El Tablón tailings dam project reports; 

 

"The ERI results, supported by the geomorphological and geotechnical work, suggested that the rock massif is composed of weathering horizons of different rock qualities, slopes are affected by sliding surfaces and these features exert a control on the groundwater flow.

 

These results indicated that the original site selected to construct the dam dike was susceptible to landsliding and an alternative construction site was suggested."

 

indicating that a new facility need be constructed at a new site suggesting that those ~ 900,000 tonnes of tailings per annum will not be delivered to the CTF, and is available for processing.

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There a minimum of 23 abandoned or unlicensed Chilean processing centers with each Chilean processing facility containing 3 tailings ponds with a minimum capacity of 2,295 – 59,400 tons.