# Fitzroy Minerals Reports Copper Recoveries of up to 82.6% from Mini-Column Testing, with Preliminary Larger-Scale Results Trending Higher, at the Buen Retiro Copper Project, Chile

Canonical Atlas analysis: https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/fitzroy-minerals-reports-copper-recoveries-of-up-to-82-6-from-mini-column-testin--54e5601b-b6c0-4256-88ee-e354553afa96

Original source: https://orestocks.com/company/FTZ.V/press-releases/6588162998374365

Publisher: orestocks

Original announcement: 2026-09-23T11:00:00.000Z

Analysis by Minestarters Atlas

Atlas analysis published: 2026-09-23T11:49:27.114Z

Atlas analysis updated: 2026-09-23T11:49:27.114Z

- Company: Fitzroy Minerals Inc.

- Ticker: FTZ.V

- Exchange: Unavailable

- Region: Chile

- Primary commodity: Copper

- Secondary commodities: None reported

- Document categories: Metallurgy

- Extracted: 2026-09-23 11:49:28 UTC

Narrative sentiment: 0.80 · Bullish

## Minestarters Atlas summary

Fitzroy Minerals has reported successful initial metallurgical test results for the Buen Retiro Copper Project in Chile, with mini-column copper recoveries reaching up to 82.6%. Ongoing larger-scale 1-metre column tests are showing even higher recovery trends, supporting the project's heap-leach development plan.

Reasoning: The metallurgical results confirm a strong heap-leach case with high recoveries and low acid consumption across multiple geometallurgical units.

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

- Positive factor: Low acid consumption \(3.4 to 11.2 kg/kg\)

- Positive factor: Favourable rock hardness \(8 kWh/t\)

- Positive factor: Preliminary 1m column results trending higher than mini-columns

- Positive factor: Chloride addition identified as optimization opportunity

- Negative factor: Low-grade oxide unit shows higher acid consumption \(11.2 kg/kg\) which may limit leach extension

Facts used in scoring: 3

## Classification and evidence

**High Recovery**

Polarity: positive

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

Why it applies: Mixed unit achieved 82.6% recovery in mini-column testing.

Evidence · text

> total copper \(“CuT”\) recovery of ... 82.6% \(mixed\)

**Mill Route**

Polarity: neutral

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

Why it applies: The testing is specifically for a heap-leach processing route.

Evidence · text

> evaluating the response of the Project’s three principal geometallurgical units \(“UGM” or “Units”\) to heap-leach processing

**QA/QC Disclosed**

Polarity: positive

Story-specific tag

Definition: Release includes QA/QC disclosure — certified lab, QP sign-off, or stated methods \(blanks, standards, duplicates\).

Why it applies: Release details SGS laboratory accreditation and specific QA/QC protocols.

Evidence · text

> carried out under a documented quality assurance and quality control \("QA/QC"\) protocol

**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: 3. Some facts used in scoring do not have a stored record.

## Metallurgical Results (3)

### mini-column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/fitzroy-minerals-reports-copper-recoveries-of-up-to-82-6-from-mini-column-testin--54e5601b-b6c0-4256-88ee-e354553afa96#fact-metallurgical-facts-0)

Buen Retiro Copper Project · copper

#### Identity

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

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: mini-column
- Processing Route: heap leach
- Sample: High-grade oxide composite \(1,349 kg\)
- 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

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

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

Reasoning: 71.8% recovery is a solid result for a high-grade oxide heap leach test.

- Positive factor: Strong recovery for oxide

Evidence · text

> total copper \(“CuT”\) recovery of 71.8% \(high-grade oxide\)

#### Tags used in scoring

**Heap Leach Route**

Polarity: neutral

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

Why it applies: processing\_route matches the heap\_leach signal

### mini-column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/fitzroy-minerals-reports-copper-recoveries-of-up-to-82-6-from-mini-column-testin--54e5601b-b6c0-4256-88ee-e354553afa96#fact-metallurgical-facts-1)

Buen Retiro Copper Project · copper

#### Identity

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

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: mini-column
- Processing Route: heap leach
- Sample: Low-grade oxide composite \(1,566 kg\)
- 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

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

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

Reasoning: Recovery is lower and acid consumption is higher for this unit.

- Negative factor: Higher acid consumption

Evidence · text

> 59.9% \(low-grade oxide\)

#### Tags used in scoring

**Heap Leach Route**

Polarity: neutral

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

Why it applies: processing\_route matches the heap\_leach signal

### mini-column

[Link to this fact](https://atlas-staging.minestarters.com/news/fitzroy-minerals-reports-copper-recoveries-of-up-to-82-6-from-mini-column-testin--54e5601b-b6c0-4256-88ee-e354553afa96#fact-metallurgical-facts-2)

Buen Retiro Copper Project · copper

#### Identity

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

#### Test Work

- Program Status: preliminary
- Test Type: mini-column
- Processing Route: heap leach
- Sample: Mixed material composite \(426 kg\)
- 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

#### Review

- Needs Review: No
- Historical: No

#### Dates

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

Reasoning: 82.6% recovery is an exceptional result for the mixed unit.

- Positive factor: Excellent recovery

- Positive factor: Low acid consumption

Evidence · text

> 82.6% \(mixed\)

#### Tags used in scoring

**Heap Leach Route**

Polarity: neutral

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

Why it applies: processing\_route matches the heap\_leach signal

**High Recovery**

Polarity: positive

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

Why it applies: 82.6% is at or above the exceptional band \(80%\)

## 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.