Cartier Resources Inc. (″ Cartier ″ or the ″ Company ″) (TSXV: ECR,OTC:ECRFF; FSE: 6CA) is pleased to announce it has awarded the contract to Soutex, a firm specializing in mineral processing and metallurgy, to carry out the first advanced and comprehensive metallurgical sampling and testwork program for the Main Sector of its Cadillac Project.
Key Objectives of the Program
- Defining expected gold recovery rates and improving upon historical results from the Chimo deposit.
- Establishing first-time metallurgical recovery data for the East Chimo and West Nordeau satellite deposits, where no previous data exists.
- Supporting the development of an integrated process flowsheet .
- Providing critical data for future trade-off studies to guide project development.
‘ The metallurgical program represents a critical de-risking milestone to advance the development of the Cadillac Project. By understanding how the mineralized material responds to conventional processing methods, we can define the most efficient and cost-effective flowsheet. This has the potential to significantly reduce both capital and operating costs, while also improving our environmental footprint. The data generated will directly support optimized project development and enhance our economic models. In short, these test results will strengthen the technical foundation of the project and help unlock greater shareholder value . ‘ – Philippe Cloutier, President and CEO of Cartier.
‘ Following the recent launch of baseline environmental studies, we’re pleased to advance the Cadillac Project with the initiation of our first modern metallurgical test program. With historical data now nearly 30 years old, it was essential for Cartier to generate updated, high-quality data that reflects current standards. This comprehensive program will characterize the mineralized material, gold recovery potential, and validate optimal grind size (key inputs for future engineering and economic studies). Combined with our ongoing 100,000-metre drill program, these initiatives position us to unlock the full value of the Cadillac Project. ‘ – Ronan Deroff, Vice President Exploration of Cartier.
Historical Production Recovery (source: MRNF DV 85-05 to DV 97-01 + internal company reports)
The mineralized material from the Chimo mine (Chimo deposit) was processed by 3 different producers: Chimo Gold Mines (1966-67), Louvem (1984-1989) and Cambior (1989-1997). The flowsheet was focused on gravity separation, flotation and cyanidation of flotation concentrate. Records show that from 1966 through 1997, approximatively 2.4 million tonnes of mineralized material have been processed. During the 15-year period production, the historical average recovery was 90.6% of the contained gold. These numbers appear to underestimate the deposit and should be able to improve, since the first two operators of the Chimo mine (Chimo Gold Mines and Louvem) had good extraction results, around 94%, while the last production period by Cambior showed a significant drop in recoveries with only 89% of the contained gold.
There is no metallurgical information available for the other deposits of the Main Sector like East Chimo and West Nordeau deposits.
Methodology of the Metallurgical Testwork Program
To achieve the program objectives, the testwork will be conducted on NQ-size half-drill core intervals spatially selected to be representative of both the type of mineralization and the average head grade of the resource. A total of 6 composites for 300 kg from the three deposits (Chimo, East Chimo and West Nordeau) will be generated including two 50 kg-composites for each deposit. The composites will be assembled by Cartier geologists.
All composites of the three deposits will be subject to cyanidation tests at three different grind sizes. After these tests, gravimetric concentration separation followed by a cyanide destruction tests of the gravity tails will be done at the grind size showing the best results. In addition to the metallurgical program, comminution test, as well as chemical and mineralogical characterization, will also be performed to define the grindability of the mineralized material and predict his behaviour in the process.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical content of this press release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by Mr. Ronan Déroff, P.Geo., M.Sc., Vice President Exploration, who is a ″Qualified Person″ as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (″NI 43-101″).
About Soutex
Soutex is a consulting firm in mineral processing and metallurgy that offers specialized services, from the initial stages of development on paper to the daily operations of the processing plant. Their designs stem from their solid experience in providing plant operations support. This support is based on their knowledge of fundamental ore processing principles and their in-plant experience. Founded in 2000 and having offices in Canada (Quebec and Longueuil) and Germany (Munich), Soutex comprises more than 40 metallurgists, process engineers, and technicians, making it one of the largest groupings of specialists in the field in Canada. Services have been offered to clients located across Canada and abroad (West Africa, United States, Finland, New Caledonia, Suriname, and Madagascar).
About Cadillac Project
The Cadillac Project, covering 14,000 hectares along a 15-kilometre stretch of the Cadillac Fault, is one of the largest consolidated land packages in the Val-d’Or mining camp. Cartier’s flagship asset integrates the historic Chimo Mine and East Cadillac projects, creating a dominant position in a world class gold mining district. With excellent road access, year-round infrastructure and nearby milling capacity, the project is ideally positioned for rapid advancement and value creation.
Using a gold price of US$1,750/oz, a Preliminary Economic Assessment demonstrated the economic viability of a 2-km segment, compared to the 15 km that will be the subject of the 100,000 m drilling program, with an average annual gold production of 116,900 oz over a 9.7-year mine life. Indicated resources are estimated at 720,000 ounces (7.1 million tonnes at 3.1 g/t Au) and inferred resources at 1,633,000 ounces (18.5 million tonnes at 2.8 g/t Au). Please see the NI 43-101 ″Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for Chimo Mine and West Nordeau Gold Deposits, Chimo Mine and East Cadillac Properties, Quebec, Canada, Marc R. Beauvais, P.Eng., of InnovExplo Inc., Mr. Florent Baril of Bumigeme and Mr. Eric Sellars, P.Eng. of Responsible Mining Solutions″ effective May 29, 2023.
About Cartier Resources Inc.
Cartier Resources Inc., founded in 2006 and headquartered in Val-d’Or (Quebec) is a gold exploration company focused on building shareholder value through discovery and development in one of Canada’s most prolific mining camps. The Company combines strong technical expertise, a track record of successful exploration, and a fully funded program to advance its flagship Cadillac Project. Cartier’s strategy is clear: unlock the full potential of one of the largest undeveloped gold landholdings in Quebec.
For further information, contact:
Philippe Cloutier, P. Geo.
President and CEO
Telephone: 819-856-0512
philippe.cloutier@ressourcescartier.com
www.ressourcescartier.com
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