sulphide versus oxide, page-23

Yes thanks BT, eieio and others... it is definitely a very interesting subject, that takes one down fascinating side-paths too! Thought material... and FUN :))

... further discussion, for those readers interesting in boring facts and figures, and perspective .... even if a bit long-winded.

Sorry if I am not interested into hype or ramp-up stuff these days.
I will be though when I see some progress. Promise :)

The paper I referred to starts off by saying... " Many copper sulphide mines around the world have significant copper oxide reserves associated with the larger primary copper sulphide deposit. The traditional techniques for processing oxide ores, either by leaching SX/EW, or by flotation have caused many problems for these operations..." They then go on to say how it can be approached, as I have discussed.

While flotation is not ideal for oxides, the original Feb 2010 Study did propose it for AS, but it also suggested retaining the tailings for later leaching to extract some of the Cu remnant. OK.

Now a 75% oxide flotation recovery to me seems excellent, as per 2010 AVB Study. As they say, it responds well to conventional flotation. However, add some of this wonder stuff AM28 and you can (apparently) get oxide flotation recovery of 85%, and importanly you do not mess up the sulphide recovery in a blend situation. (Fig 4)

From Wikipeia "Although the heap leaching is a low cost-process, it normally has copper recovery rates of 60-70%, although there are exceptions."

Leach results of 0.5% Cu oxide samples as per ENCMinerals Value Engineering paper, actually show 80% oxide copper recovery... (page 10)

Nevertheless.... from the above figures, why would you build a SX-EW plant??

Unless maybe you had a mine like the Vale one with the very inspiring name, 118, which has oxide 170Mt @ 1%Cu.

The metallurgy may indicate that leaching gives you say 75 % - 85% recovery, but the economics would certainly over-ride that when the oxide quantity is small, as for AVB.

SX-EW as I say is just not on the horizon.

Unless AVB gets 118 from Vale. :)

So yes, everything will get floated it is just a matter of when. Including AVB's Ni interests :)
OK....

Yes BT.. the obvious thing is that nobody is prepared to take DSO, and that would be it. End of discussion. Game over. haha

However, the Study of 2010 was so strident in its advocacy of DSO, it would be unthinkable that AVB had not, as a VERY first step, not gone out and made sure somebody was prepared to take it. To not do so would be to look very very foolish. So I am confident it is saleable.

Hindsight.....
29th November 2011. Trial Mining Licence granted. As per Scoping Study, Woody and The Board directs DSO operations to commence immediately. Equipment procurement, planning of roads, offtake, shipping arrangements etc commences and runs for 5 months through the wet season. Mining starts mid-2012. According to figures published in Scoping Study, this adds $10m to AVB cash end-2012.

So instead of only $6m in bank and running out, AVB has $16m and is expecting a further $10m in mid-2013. (again if you do not believe this, examine the published figures). Then mining confirms the DSO is indeed open on strike as claimed, it does have a "mushroom" shape like TP described.
So further DSO mining at depth produces at the rate of $1m profit per month, as long as the rich ore holds out, and no sign of the end yet!

This is what COULD have happened. It didn't.

In which case where would AVB's share price have been today?? .. languishing at 7 - 8c ?? Make up your own mind on that one.

There is a time to be conservative sure, but there is also a time to be decisive and act.

Don't search for reasons why something cannot be done. To vacillate. Don't produce exciting Scoping Studies (2010) and do precisely .... nothing. Or produce study upon study.

Why not employ positive dynamic people who will get off their tails and MAKE things happen. Heaven knows AVB has more directors and people of pedigree than you can poke a stick at. What do they all do??

(I am reminded of when I was a GMR shareholder, ages ago thankfully. They got a Mali tenement and made big deal that it had gold that could be readily toll treated. My argument and post was do it... get out of it what you can right now and get that money in the bank. Oh, no. Lots of silly excuses why not... lets go exploring. And now look at the mess.)

It is not too late to get going on DSO. It is a side project while they are busy at AN. I never ever accept the excuse "but we are too busy..." or "Hey relax, these guys know what they are doing". Never ever.

Anyway a good announcement will help things along. So many irons in the fire that surely one must pop up very soon.

Hey I am very positive about AVB.... but as a friend just reminded me "Never fall in love with a stock" (it can be even more dangerous than falling in love with a woman, and that is dangerous enough!!) haha

Cheers, PP