SS1: Rapid Silver and Gold Recoveries from Metallurgical Testwork
Original announcement by asx on
- Company
- Sun Silver Limited
- Ticker
- SS1
- Exchange
- ASX
- Region
- Nevada, USA
- Primary commodity
- Silver
- Secondary commodities
- Gold, Antimony
- Document categories
- Metallurgy
- Extracted
- 2026-10-13 22:26:08 UTC
Analysis by Minestarters Atlas
Atlas analysis published:
Minestarters Atlas analysis
Summary
Sun Silver Limited reported impressive metallurgical testwork results from its Maverick Silver Project in Nevada, USA, demonstrating rapid silver and gold extraction within 24 to 48 hours. Optimized cyanide leach tests achieved up to 87.7% silver and 87.5% gold recovery, providing strong confidence in the project's development potential. The company is evaluating tank-leach/CIL processing pathways for higher recoveries and potential antimony extraction, with further optimization planned for reagent consumption and grind size.
Reasoning: The metallurgical testwork achieved strong silver and moderate gold recoveries with rapid extraction kinetics, conducted by a reputable lab, which is highly positive for the project's processing design and potential economics, despite being at bench scale.
Positive factors
- Achieved strong silver recoveries (up to 87.7%) and moderate gold recoveries (up to 87.5%) for the tank-leach/CIL route.
- Demonstrated rapid extraction kinetics for both silver and gold within 24-48 hours.
- Testwork conducted by a reputable metallurgical firm (SGS/IMO) and signed off by a Competent Person.
- Optimization efforts showed strong recoveries with reduced reagent consumption, indicating potential for lower operating costs.
- Samples represent both oxide and transitional mineralisation, addressing variability.
Negative factors
- Testwork is currently at bench scale (bottle roll) only, not yet at locked-cycle or pilot scale.
- Interim solution assays indicated higher extraction percentages than final reported recoveries, suggesting potential for overstatement in early readings.
Low confidence — this extraction should be reviewed alongside the original source.
Facts used in scoring: 4
Classification and evidence
Multi-Domain Testedpositive
Variability across ore domains (oxide, transition, fresh) has been addressed.
Why it applies: The metallurgical testwork used composite samples derived from oxide and transitional mineralisation, indicating testing across different ore domains.
Evidence · text
“comprising oxide and transitional mineralisation”
Recovery Improvingpositive
Recovery improved versus a like-for-like prior test program on the same domain and route.
Why it applies: The announcement highlights the 'latest round of optimised cyanide leach testwork' and states that these results 'build on and complement the previous exceptional silver-gold recovery results'.
Evidence · text
“Impressive silver and gold recoveries achieved from the latest round of optimised cyanide leach testwork”
Bench Scale Onlynegative
Only preliminary bench tests completed — no locked-cycle or pilot work.
Why it applies: The testwork was conducted using 'cyanide leach bottle-roll tests', which are considered bench scale.
Evidence · text
“Five cyanide leach bottle-roll tests were undertaken on Sample 1”
QP/CP Signedpositive · Story-specific tag
Qualified Person (QP) or Competent Person (CP) named and signed off — a member of a recognized professional association (e.g., AusIMM, SME, AIG, P.Geo) with relevant experience.
Why it applies: Dr Andrew Dowling, a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), is named as the Competent Person responsible for the metallurgical test work.
Evidence · text
“Dr Andrew Dowling, BEng (Metallurgical), PhD, who is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).”
Mill Routeneutral
Processing via mill or concentrator (CIL, CIP, tank leach, flotation).
Why it applies: The company is evaluating a 'conventional tank-leach/CIL processing flowsheet' based on the test results.
Evidence · text
“conventional tank-leach/CIL processing flowsheet”
Heap Leach Routeneutral
Processing via heap leach — lower CAPEX and OPEX, lower recovery expected.
Why it applies: The company is evaluating both 'heap-leach and higher-recovery tank-leach/CIL processing pathways'.
Evidence · text
“evaluating both heap-leach and higher-recovery tank-leach/CIL processing pathways”
Single Domain Onlynegative
Testing limited to one composite or domain — representativeness not established.
Why it applies: only one composite was tested
Extracted facts
Stored fact records: 4. Some facts used in scoring do not have a stored record.
Metallurgical Results (4)
bottle rollMaverick Silver Project · silverRecovery: 84.5 %Head Grade: 177Head Grade Unit: g/tView all detailsHide details
Identity
- Project
- Maverick Silver Project
- Commodity
- silver
- Region
- usa_nv
- Reported Region
- Nevada, USA
- Ticker
- SS1
Test Work
- Program Status
- optimization
- Test Type
- bottle roll
- Processing Route
- tank-leach/CIL
- Sample
- Sample 1 (LT15) oxide and transitional composite
- Grind P80
- 53 µm
- Leach Time
- 360 hours
Recovery
- Recovery
- 84.5 %
- Recovery Basis
- actual_test
- Head Grade
- 177
- Head Grade Unit
- g/t
- Tailings Grade
- 27.4
- Tailings Grade Unit
- g/t
Reagents
- Cyanide
- 2.46 kg/t
- Lime
- 0.5 kg/t
Lab
- Laboratory
- Independent Metallurgical Operations (IMO), a subsidiary of SGS
- Consultant
- Dr Andrew Dowling
Review
- Needs Review
- No
- Historical
- No
Dates
- Event date
- 2026-10-13T00:00:00.000Z
Reasoning: Achieved moderate silver recovery of 84.5% in 360-hour bottle roll tests, demonstrating rapid extraction kinetics within 24-48 hours, which is positive for processing design.
Positive factors
- Achieved 84.5% silver recovery, which is a moderate recovery for the tank-leach/CIL route.
- Rapid extraction within 24-48 hours.
- Testwork conducted by a reputable laboratory (SGS/IMO) and signed off by a Competent Person.
- Samples represent oxide and transitional mineralisation, addressing variability.
Negative factors
- Testwork is at bench scale (bottle roll) only, not locked-cycle or pilot scale.
- Interim solution assays indicated higher extraction, suggesting potential for overstatement in early readings.
Evidence · table
“84.5%”
Context: LT15
bottle rollMaverick Silver Project · goldRecovery: 83.6 %Head Grade: 0.37Head Grade Unit: g/tView all detailsHide details
Identity
- Project
- Maverick Silver Project
- Commodity
- gold
- Region
- usa_nv
- Reported Region
- Nevada, USA
- Ticker
- SS1
Test Work
- Program Status
- optimization
- Test Type
- bottle roll
- Processing Route
- tank-leach/CIL
- Sample
- Sample 1 (LT15) oxide and transitional composite
- Grind P80
- 53 µm
- Leach Time
- 360 hours
Recovery
- Recovery
- 83.6 %
- Recovery Basis
- actual_test
- Head Grade
- 0.37
- Head Grade Unit
- g/t
- Tailings Grade
- 0.06
- Tailings Grade Unit
- g/t
Reagents
- Cyanide
- 2.46 kg/t
- Lime
- 0.5 kg/t
Lab
- Laboratory
- Independent Metallurgical Operations (IMO), a subsidiary of SGS
- Consultant
- Dr Andrew Dowling
Review
- Needs Review
- No
- Historical
- No
Dates
- Event date
- 2026-10-13T00:00:00.000Z
Reasoning: Achieved weak gold recovery of 83.6% in 360-hour bottle roll tests, though demonstrating rapid extraction kinetics within 24-48 hours, which is positive for processing design.
Positive factors
- Achieved 83.6% gold recovery, demonstrating rapid extraction within 24-48 hours.
- Testwork conducted by a reputable laboratory (SGS/IMO) and signed off by a Competent Person.
- Samples represent oxide and transitional mineralisation, addressing variability.
Negative factors
- Achieved 83.6% gold recovery, which is a weak recovery for the tank-leach/CIL route.
- Testwork is at bench scale (bottle roll) only, not locked-cycle or pilot scale.
- Interim solution assays indicated higher extraction, suggesting potential for overstatement in early readings.
Evidence · table
“83.6%”
Context: LT15
bottle rollMaverick Silver Project · silverRecovery: 87.7 %Head Grade: 228Head Grade Unit: g/tView all detailsHide details
Identity
- Project
- Maverick Silver Project
- Commodity
- silver
- Region
- usa_nv
- Reported Region
- Nevada, USA
- Ticker
- SS1
Test Work
- Program Status
- optimization
- Test Type
- bottle roll
- Processing Route
- tank-leach/CIL
- Sample
- Sample 2 (LT22) oxide and transitional composite
- Grind P80
- 53 µm
- Leach Time
- 360 hours
Recovery
- Recovery
- 87.7 %
- Recovery Basis
- actual_test
- Head Grade
- 228
- Head Grade Unit
- g/t
- Tailings Grade
- 28
- Tailings Grade Unit
- g/t
Reagents
- Cyanide
- 1.96 kg/t
- Lime
- 0.12 kg/t
Lab
- Laboratory
- Independent Metallurgical Operations (IMO), a subsidiary of SGS
- Consultant
- Dr Andrew Dowling
Review
- Needs Review
- No
- Historical
- No
Dates
- Event date
- 2026-10-13T00:00:00.000Z
Reasoning: Achieved strong silver recovery of 87.7% in 360-hour bottle roll tests with a lower reagent regime, demonstrating rapid extraction kinetics within 24-48 hours, which is highly positive for processing design and operating costs.
Positive factors
- Achieved 87.7% silver recovery, which is a strong recovery for the tank-leach/CIL route.
- Rapid extraction within 24-48 hours.
- Testwork conducted by a reputable laboratory (SGS/IMO) and signed off by a Competent Person.
- Samples represent oxide and transitional mineralisation, addressing variability.
- Achieved strong recovery with a lower reagent regime, indicating potential for reduced operating costs.
Negative factors
- Testwork is at bench scale (bottle roll) only, not locked-cycle or pilot scale.
Evidence · table
“87.7%”
Context: LT22
bottle rollMaverick Silver Project · goldRecovery: 87.5 %Head Grade: 0.92Head Grade Unit: g/tView all detailsHide details
Identity
- Project
- Maverick Silver Project
- Commodity
- gold
- Region
- usa_nv
- Reported Region
- Nevada, USA
- Ticker
- SS1
Test Work
- Program Status
- optimization
- Test Type
- bottle roll
- Processing Route
- tank-leach/CIL
- Sample
- Sample 2 (LT22) oxide and transitional composite
- Grind P80
- 53 µm
- Leach Time
- 360 hours
Recovery
- Recovery
- 87.5 %
- Recovery Basis
- actual_test
- Head Grade
- 0.92
- Head Grade Unit
- g/t
- Tailings Grade
- 0.115
- Tailings Grade Unit
- g/t
Reagents
- Cyanide
- 1.96 kg/t
- Lime
- 0.12 kg/t
Lab
- Laboratory
- Independent Metallurgical Operations (IMO), a subsidiary of SGS
- Consultant
- Dr Andrew Dowling
Review
- Needs Review
- No
- Historical
- No
Dates
- Event date
- 2026-10-13T00:00:00.000Z
Reasoning: Achieved moderate gold recovery of 87.5% in 360-hour bottle roll tests with a lower reagent regime, demonstrating rapid extraction kinetics within 24-48 hours, which is positive for processing design and operating costs.
Positive factors
- Achieved 87.5% gold recovery, demonstrating rapid extraction within 24-48 hours.
- Testwork conducted by a reputable laboratory (SGS/IMO) and signed off by a Competent Person.
- Samples represent oxide and transitional mineralisation, addressing variability.
- Achieved strong recovery with a lower reagent regime, indicating potential for reduced operating costs.
Negative factors
- Achieved 87.5% gold recovery, which is a moderate recovery for the tank-leach/CIL route.
- Testwork is at bench scale (bottle roll) only, not locked-cycle or pilot scale.
Evidence · table
“87.5%”
Context: LT22
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.