sulphide versus oxide, page-8

Poet,

All good. My point is simply that they won't (IMO) mess about with oxide processing while they can do 3% sulphides.

If you can get 400,000 tonnes a year throughput at approx 3% with very inexpensive operation and 97% recovery, then why would you focus on the 75% or so recovery material that will also be more expensive to process? I'm pretty confident they know what they're doing, I don't see this as a matter of "taking things as gospel" but rather a case of being informed by some of the industries better operators. My guess is that the oxides will be looked at in time, just not at first. They have the potential to expand plant life at Stage 1 by a number of years down the track. Maybe with some adjustments to the treatment process?

And, at the same time I understand the urge some of us have to dig up as much data as we can on possibilities. We both have large commitments to AVB and lots of time spent researching etc.

If it makes sense to dig up and direct ship those truck loads of 50% Copper straight to the smelter I'm confident it will be in the planning. I'd personally like a nugget of it to put on the mantle for a talking piece down the track. And I do expect some of the AS material will get out of the ground early.