Minotaur Exploration has entered into a collaborative research agreement with the Commonwealth Scientific Research Industrial Organisation (CSIRO), to conduct field trials for CSIRO’s new in-situ gold extraction process.
Under terms of the agreement, Minotaur will have an exclusive royalty-free right to implement the process at the Tunkillia gold project in South Australia.
The firm will also receive grants for a six month period, and following completion of the trials, can negotiate a commercial license agreement to deploy the process throughout South Australia.
The in-situ gold extraction process involves leaching of gold in-situ in the host rock into solution, and recovery of gold from the solution on the surface after abstraction from boreholes, drilled into the rock mass.
Minotaur has planned a work programme over 15 months, incorporating assistance from CSIRO, to design, install and operate a trial bore field through which CSIRO’s methodology can be applied.
