Power Metallic Mines Inc. Reports Lion Zone Recoveries of 98.9% Copper, 93.9% Platinum, 85% Gold and 88.9% Silver from Initial Metallurgical Results as Reported by SGS Canada Inc
Power Metallic Mines Inc. provided preliminary metallurgical results performed by SGS Canada Ltd. at its laboratories based in Quebec City, QC, and Lakefield, ON, from representative samples of Lion zone mineralization. An initial Lock Cycle Test returned a sulphide concentrate grading 25.8% Copper containing very high metal recoveries of Copper (98.9%), Palladium (93.9%), Platinum (96.8%), Gold (85.0%) and Silver (88.9%), exceeding Power Metallics most optimistic estimates for recovery prior to this test work. As previously reported (initiation of metallurgical work news release October 16, 2025) the Cu mineralization at Lion is contained within coarse grained chalcopyrite and cubanite and Cu was expected to respond well to conventional sulphide concentration methods.
These initial metallurgical tests were designed to determine the recovery potential of the PGEs, Au, Ag, and Ni. The Lion deposit has two zones of mineralization defined by drilling, consisting of a High-Grade zone (HG) and a Low-grade Zone (LG). As reported on October 16, 2025, Power Metallic compiled a series of drill core reject material from the Lion deposit spatially representative of the known mineralization across strike and down plunge within the deposit.
Three composites were prepared, HG (103 samples from 15 drill holes); LG (99 samples from 10 drill holes); and a Blended composite based on modelled volumes for Lion (Approx. 50/50 ratio). Initial sulphide flotation concentration tests by SGS showed similar recovery characteristics for all 3 composites, and a decision was made by SGS to carry out a Locked Cycle Test (LCT) on the Blended Composite as representative of run-of-mine feed for conventional sulphide flotation.
The LCT test is a laboratory scale flowsheet of a potential future mill circuit for the Lion deposit. Results of the LCT showed abnormally high recovery of Cu, PGEs, Ag, and Au, with very good recovery of Ni. SGS’s comment on the LCT stated: “The test work, performed by SGS Canada Inc. at its Quebec Metallurgical Laboratory, demonstrates encouraging preliminary flotation performance and supports the potential suitability of the mineralization for a conventional flotation flowsheet.
The mineralization demonstrated a strong flotation response, with copper rougher recoveries ranging from 98-99%. Cleaner flotation upgraded the material to approximately 25% Cu, while precious metals consistently reported to the concentrate. Locked-cycle flotation testing produced a high-grade concentrate containing 25.8% Cu, 1.2% Ni, 4.83 g/t Au, 41.4 g/t Pd, 23.4 g/t Pt, and 159 g/t Ag, with robust recoveries for Cu (98.9%), Pd (93.9%), Pt (96.8%), and Ag (88.9%).
These results suggest potential opportunities for the transformation of the concentrate into value-added products, including advanced materials for various economic sectors such as battery and energy storage, electrification, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing”.
