# 82.6% Copper Recovery Backs Fitzroy's Heap Leach Plan for Buen Retiro

Canonical Atlas analysis: https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/82-6-copper-recovery-backs-fitzroy-s-heap-leach-plan-for-buen-retiro--a8c770b7-93a1-4c5d-9c1e-d724013f42e8

Original source: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/82-6-copper-recovery-backs-fitzroys-heap-leach-plan-for-buen-retiro

Publisher: cruxinvestor

Original announcement: 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

Analysis by Minestarters Atlas

Atlas analysis published: 2026-09-24T17:04:25.037Z

Atlas analysis updated: 2026-09-24T17:04:25.037Z

- Company: Fitzroy Minerals

- Ticker: FTZ

- Exchange: Unavailable

- Region: Chile

- Primary commodity: Copper

- Secondary commodities: Gold, Silver

- Document categories: Metallurgy

- Extracted: 2026-09-24 17:04:25 UTC

Narrative sentiment: 0.80 · Bullish

## Minestarters Atlas summary

Fitzroy Minerals reported successful mini-column metallurgical tests at the Buen Retiro copper project in Chile, with copper recoveries reaching up to 82.6% for mixed material after 21 days. Preliminary 1-meter column tests are trending even higher, supporting the company's heap leach development plan.

Reasoning: Strong preliminary metallurgical results for heap leach processing of three ore types, supporting the project's development path.

- Positive factor: High copper recoveries in mini-column tests \(up to 82.6%\)

- Positive factor: Low acid consumption reported

- Positive factor: Soft material indicated by low Bond Work Index

- Positive factor: Chloride addition improves recoveries

- Positive factor: Preliminary 1-meter column results trending higher

- Negative factor: 1-meter column metallurgical balance not yet closed

- Negative factor: Industrial recovery requires scaling factor reduction \(0.8-0.9\)

Facts used in scoring: 6

## Classification and evidence

**Mill Route**

Polarity: neutral

Definition: Processing via mill or concentrator \(CIL, CIP, tank leach, flotation\).

Why it applies: The testing is focused on heap leaching, which is a specific processing route.

Evidence · text

> establish how the deposit responds to heap leaching

**High Recovery**

Polarity: positive

Definition: Recovery at or above the exceptional band for the commodity and processing route.

Why it applies: Copper recoveries of up to 82.6% in mini-columns and trending 95% in columns are strong for heap leach.

Evidence · text

> 82.6% Copper Recovery Backs Fitzroy's Heap Leach Plan

**Heap Leach Route**

Polarity: neutral

Definition: Processing via heap leach — lower CAPEX and OPEX, lower recovery expected.

Why it applies: the document describes a heap\_leach route \("heap leach"\)

**Multi-Domain Tested**

Polarity: positive

Definition: Variability across ore domains \(oxide, transition, fresh\) has been addressed.

Why it applies: 3 distinct composites were tested

## Extracted facts

Stored fact records: 6. Some facts used in scoring do not have a stored record.

## Metallurgical Results (6)

### mini-column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/82-6-copper-recovery-backs-fitzroy-s-heap-leach-plan-for-buen-retiro--a8c770b7-93a1-4c5d-9c1e-d724013f42e8#fact-metallurgical-facts-0)

Buen Retiro · copper

#### Identity

- Project: Buen Retiro
- Commodity: copper
- Region: chile
- Reported Region: Chile
- Ticker: FTZ

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: mini-column
- Sample: high-grade oxide mini-column
- Leach Time: 504 hours

#### Recovery

- Recovery: 71.8 %
- Recovery Basis: actual\_test
- Head Grade: 0.95
- Head Grade Unit: %

#### Reagents

- Acid: 4.9 kg/t

#### Lab

- Laboratory: SGS Laboratories

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

- Event date: 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

Reasoning: Solid recovery for high-grade oxide in mini-column testing.

- Positive factor: 71.8% recovery at 21 days

Evidence · text

> total copper recoveries reached 71.8% for high-grade oxide

#### Tags used in scoring

**Low Recovery**

Polarity: negative

Definition: Recovery below the weak band for the commodity and processing route.

Why it applies: 71.8% is below the weak band \(80%\)

### mini-column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/82-6-copper-recovery-backs-fitzroy-s-heap-leach-plan-for-buen-retiro--a8c770b7-93a1-4c5d-9c1e-d724013f42e8#fact-metallurgical-facts-1)

Buen Retiro · copper

#### Identity

- Project: Buen Retiro
- Commodity: copper
- Region: chile
- Reported Region: Chile
- Ticker: FTZ

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: mini-column
- Sample: low-grade oxide mini-column
- Leach Time: 504 hours

#### Recovery

- Recovery: 59.9 %
- Recovery Basis: actual\_test
- Head Grade: 0.35
- Head Grade Unit: %

#### Reagents

- Acid: 11.2 kg/t

#### Lab

- Laboratory: SGS Laboratories

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

- Event date: 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

Reasoning: Lower recovery and higher acid consumption compared to other ore types.

- Negative factor: Higher acid consumption \(11.2 kg/kg Cu\)

- Negative factor: Lower recovery \(59.9%\)

Evidence · text

> 59.9% for low-grade oxide

#### Tags used in scoring

**Low Recovery**

Polarity: negative

Definition: Recovery below the weak band for the commodity and processing route.

Why it applies: 59.9% is below the weak band \(80%\)

### mini-column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/82-6-copper-recovery-backs-fitzroy-s-heap-leach-plan-for-buen-retiro--a8c770b7-93a1-4c5d-9c1e-d724013f42e8#fact-metallurgical-facts-2)

Buen Retiro · copper

#### Identity

- Project: Buen Retiro
- Commodity: copper
- Region: chile
- Reported Region: Chile
- Ticker: FTZ

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: mini-column
- Sample: mixed material mini-column
- Leach Time: 504 hours

#### Recovery

- Recovery: 82.6 %
- Recovery Basis: actual\_test
- Head Grade: 1.24
- Head Grade Unit: %

#### Reagents

- Acid: 3.4 kg/t

#### Lab

- Laboratory: SGS Laboratories

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

- Event date: 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

Reasoning: Excellent recovery and low acid consumption for mixed material.

- Positive factor: High recovery of 82.6%

- Positive factor: Low acid consumption of 3.4 kg/kg Cu

Evidence · text

> 82.6% for mixed material after 21 days of leaching

### column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/82-6-copper-recovery-backs-fitzroy-s-heap-leach-plan-for-buen-retiro--a8c770b7-93a1-4c5d-9c1e-d724013f42e8#fact-metallurgical-facts-3)

Buen Retiro · copper

#### Identity

- Project: Buen Retiro
- Commodity: copper
- Region: chile
- Reported Region: Chile
- Ticker: FTZ

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: column
- Sample: high-grade oxide 1-meter column

#### Recovery

- Recovery: 85 %
- Recovery Basis: actual\_test

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

- Event date: 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

Reasoning: Preliminary column results show positive trends.

- Positive factor: Trending toward 85% recovery

- Negative factor: Preliminary results, metallurgical balance not yet closed

Evidence · text

> trending toward preliminary recoveries of ... 85% for high-grade oxide

### column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/82-6-copper-recovery-backs-fitzroy-s-heap-leach-plan-for-buen-retiro--a8c770b7-93a1-4c5d-9c1e-d724013f42e8#fact-metallurgical-facts-4)

Buen Retiro · copper

#### Identity

- Project: Buen Retiro
- Commodity: copper
- Region: chile
- Reported Region: Chile
- Ticker: FTZ

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: column
- Sample: low-grade oxide 1-meter column

#### Recovery

- Recovery: 74 %
- Recovery Basis: actual\_test

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

- Event date: 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

Reasoning: Preliminary column results show positive trends.

- Positive factor: Trending toward 74% recovery

- Negative factor: Preliminary results, metallurgical balance not yet closed

Evidence · text

> 74% for low-grade oxide

#### Tags used in scoring

**Low Recovery**

Polarity: negative

Definition: Recovery below the weak band for the commodity and processing route.

Why it applies: 74% is below the weak band \(80%\)

### column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/82-6-copper-recovery-backs-fitzroy-s-heap-leach-plan-for-buen-retiro--a8c770b7-93a1-4c5d-9c1e-d724013f42e8#fact-metallurgical-facts-5)

Buen Retiro · copper

#### Identity

- Project: Buen Retiro
- Commodity: copper
- Region: chile
- Reported Region: Chile
- Ticker: FTZ

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: column
- Sample: mixed material 1-meter column

#### Recovery

- Recovery: 95 %
- Recovery Basis: actual\_test

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

- Event date: 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

Reasoning: Preliminary column results show very strong trends for mixed material.

- Positive factor: Trending toward 95% recovery

- Negative factor: Preliminary results, metallurgical balance not yet closed

Evidence · text

> approximately 95% for mixed material

#### Tags used in scoring

**High Recovery**

Polarity: positive

Definition: Recovery at or above the exceptional band for the commodity and processing route.

Why it applies: 95% is at or above the exceptional band \(92%\)

## How Atlas produces this analysis

Minestarters Atlas uses automated extraction to summarize mining announcements, identify reported measurements, and classify supporting evidence. Sentiment reflects the extracted narrative and classification rules; it is an interpretation, not a reported measurement. Evidence quotes and context are provided where available. Missing data, low-confidence results, and review flags indicate limitations. Check the original publisher announcement before relying on an interpretation.