Very good summary, O. H.
Let me add just a few comments, not in the way of arguement but just to present some additional food for thought.
The recovery process that IPM was testing from early 1997 until mid-year or thereabouts, was conducted primarily in the bulk testing facilities at Friendship Metals. Recovery results presented at the AGM were conducted in those facilities with the final product refined and reported by AuRIC. Presumably, BD was conducting verification tests in those same facilities, the results of which have not been reported.
By the time Bateman began conducting verification tests in September, the FM facility was no longer available to IPM or its consultants. This resulted in Bateman having to use the mobile trailer where testing was limited to 20 lb samples. Experimental conditions may also have been limited versus what was done at Friendship. I assume it was this set of experimental conditions that was referred to as the "nominated recovery process", which Bateman deemed not suitable for commercial purposes.
Was the process as tested in the mobile trailer different than the process that was conducted at Friendship in bulk quantities and reported at the AGM as capable of recovering 0.25+oz/ton gold? Did Bateman condemn the process as tested at Friendship or just the 20 lb process tested in the mobile trailer?
IMO, neither of these questions have been adequately addressed and the possibility still exists that the process IPM tested in bulk at FM, or some modification thereof, may still be under consideration by Bateman. My understanding from the Nov 14 PR is that Bateman is researching a number of processes in various test facilities (the PR states Bateman will be using "contract test work facilities"). This to me doesn't mean that Bateman has necessarily condemned the IPM process, only that they are looking at alternatives.
It may be somewhat of a stretch, but it's possible to conclude from what has been released that,
(1) The "nominated recovery process" tested in the mobile trailer is not suitable for commercial application,
(2) Results obtained from testing the 20 lb samples in the mobile facilities were "low" (whatever meaning that has), but
(3) Bateman is researching applicable recovery processes, possibly including a variant of the bulk process IPM tested at FM which recovered 0.25+ oz/ton gold.
FWIW
Alan |
