# Bell Copper Reports Big Sandy Metallurgy Canonical Atlas analysis: https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/bell-copper-reports-big-sandy-metallurgy--0b6c7185-b494-4242-a232-e14bf2927b3f Original source: https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/BCU/news/7006868575775214/bell-copper-reports-big-sandy-metallurgy Publisher: tmx Original announcement: 2022-07-21T19:03:00.000Z Analysis by Minestarters Atlas Atlas analysis published: Unknown date Atlas analysis updated: Unknown date - Company: Bell Copper Corporation - Ticker: BCU - Exchange: TSX - Region: Arizona - Primary commodity: Copper - Secondary commodities: Molybdenum, Silver, Rhenium - Document categories: Metallurgy - Extracted: 2026-08-21 12:02:59 UTC Narrative sentiment: 0.80 · Bullish ## Minestarters Atlas summary Bell Copper reports successful preliminary metallurgical testing on the Big Sandy project in Arizona. Results show copper recoveries of 82-84% via froth flotation and up to 96% via acid leaching, alongside potential rhenium credits. Reasoning: The metallurgical results show high recovery potential for both flotation and leaching routes on a significant copper-rich interval, with additional strategic metal credits. - Positive factor: High copper recovery \(82-84%\) via flotation - Positive factor: Excellent acid leach recovery \(96%\) - Positive factor: Presence of strategic rhenium credits - Positive factor: Low deleterious element concentrations - Negative factor: Low molybdenum feed grade makes concentration difficult Facts used in scoring: 4 ## Classification and evidence **Free Milling** Polarity: positive Definition: Simple, clean ore amenable to standard processing without oxidation. Why it applies: Chalcocite and bornite mineralogy described as amenable to standard flotation and leaching. Evidence · text > A conventional froth flotation approach was found to be successful at recovering and concentrating the value minerals. **Mill Route** Polarity: neutral Definition: Processing via mill or concentrator \(CIL, CIP, tank leach, flotation\). Why it applies: Testing included froth flotation which is a standard mill-based process. Evidence · text > chalcocite \(copper sulfide\) was recovered via froth flotation ## Extracted facts Stored fact records: 4. Some facts used in scoring do not have a stored record. ## Metallurgical Results (4) ### flotation [Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/bell-copper-reports-big-sandy-metallurgy--0b6c7185-b494-4242-a232-e14bf2927b3f#fact-metallurgical-facts-0) copper #### Identity - Commodity: copper - Ticker: BCU #### Test Work - Program Status: preliminary - Test Type: flotation - Processing Route: froth flotation - Sample: BS-3 chalcocite interval 1302-1502m \(composite sample\) - Grind P80: 120 µm #### Recovery - Recovery: 83 % - Recovery Basis: actual\_test - Head Grade: 0.41 - Head Grade Unit: % - Conc. Grade: 25 - Conc. Grade Unit: % #### Lab - Laboratory: SGS Canada Inc. #### Review - Needs Review: No - Historical: No #### Dates - Event date: 2022-07-21T00:00:00.000Z Reasoning: 82-84% recovery into a 25% Cu concentrate is a strong result for a porphyry target. - Positive factor: Strong recovery for a preliminary batch test ### acid leach [Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/bell-copper-reports-big-sandy-metallurgy--0b6c7185-b494-4242-a232-e14bf2927b3f#fact-metallurgical-facts-1) copper #### Identity - Commodity: copper - Ticker: BCU #### Test Work - Program Status: preliminary - Test Type: acid leach - Processing Route: ferric leaching in 30 g/L sulphuric acid - Sample: BS-3 chalcocite interval 1302-1502m \(whole ore ground to P80 120 um\) - Grind P80: 120 µm #### Recovery - Recovery: 96 % - Recovery Basis: actual\_test - Head Grade: 0.41 - Head Grade Unit: % #### Lab - Laboratory: SGS Canada Inc. #### Review - Needs Review: No - Historical: No #### Dates - Event date: 2022-07-21T00:00:00.000Z Reasoning: 96% extraction via leaching is exceptional for this type of ore. - Positive factor: Very high extraction rate - Positive factor: Acid generation from pyrite oxidation reduces reagent costs ### flotation [Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/bell-copper-reports-big-sandy-metallurgy--0b6c7185-b494-4242-a232-e14bf2927b3f#fact-metallurgical-facts-2) silver #### Identity - Commodity: silver - Ticker: BCU #### Test Work - Program Status: preliminary - Test Type: flotation - Sample: BS-3 copper concentrate \(25% Cu\) #### Recovery - Recovery: 68 % - Recovery Basis: actual\_test - Head Grade: 130 - Head Grade Unit: g/t #### Review - Needs Review: No - Historical: No #### Dates - Event date: 2022-07-21T00:00:00.000Z Reasoning: Silver recovery of 68% tracks with copper and provides a valuable byproduct credit. - Positive factor: Significant silver credit in concentrate ### Fact 4 [Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/bell-copper-reports-big-sandy-metallurgy--0b6c7185-b494-4242-a232-e14bf2927b3f#fact-metallurgical-facts-3) molybdenum #### Identity - Commodity: molybdenum - Ticker: BCU #### Test Work - Sample: BS-3 best test Mo cleaner concentrate #### Recovery - Conc. Grade: 20.7 - Conc. Grade Unit: % #### Review - Needs Review: No - Historical: No #### Dates - Event date: 2022-07-21T00:00:00.000Z Reasoning: While a 20.7% Mo concentrate was achieved, the low feed grade \(0.005%\) makes this a challenging byproduct. - Positive factor: Achieved a high-grade cleaner concentrate in best test - Negative factor: Low feed grade makes consistent production difficult ## 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.