Revolver Resources has reported strong initial outcomes from processing testwork as it works towards first copper cathode production at its Dianne project next year.

“We are extremely pleased with the initial outcomes from the process and column leach testwork undertaken to date on various samples from the Dianne deposit,” managing director Pat Williams said.

“To be on track to achieve our target recoveries and residence times in a standard leach environment, and then surpass them in an enhanced setting, is a strong validation of the technical and economic opportunity afforded to us by the Dianne copper mine project.”

The project is centred on a former high-grade copper mine in Far North Queensland with an established mineral resource of 18,000 tonnes of copper.

Revolver describes it as a ‘capital-lite’ project, with a short runway to production and operating over a four-year mine life

Revolver has carried out a detailed laboratory testing program to evaluate the processing characteristics of material from the Diane copper deposit, with particular emphasis on the amenability of the Dianne mineral resource to conventional sulphuric acid leaching.

The company said the leaching testwork comprised four columns, with each column being 150mm in diameter and 4m in height.

Two columns were loaded with only oxide material and subsequently leached using a conventional sulphuric acid solution, while a further two columns were loaded with a blend of oxide and transition material.

All four columns are now approaching completion of the leaching phase, with final laboratory data and analytical results expected to be received in Q1 2025.

Key initial outcomes for the six-month program include:

• Relatively low abrasion indices delivering low plant wear dynamics.
• Low fines content sees ready amenability to heap leach.
• Relatively low acid consumption (10-15 kg/t), compared to other Australian heap leach operations.
• Both oxide and transition material on track to achieve targeted +85 per cent recovery within a six to nine months residence timeframe.
• Both material types also responded well to enhanced leach conditions, achieving or exceeding target +85 per cent recovery with a four to five months residence timeframe.

Revolver said key Dianne workstreams were advancing towards targeted Final Investment Decision (FID) in coming months and first copper cathode production during the secodn half of 2025, funding dependent.