Western Copper and Gold Corporation has officially launched a metallurgical testing program for its Casino Copper-Gold Project, signaling a significant step forward in the project’s development. The program, which leverages composite samples from the 2023 drilling efforts, is a collaborative effort involving Western, Rio Tinto Canada, and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation.
Highlights of the Drill Program:
In 2023, Western conducted a drilling program comprising seven holes that extended over 2,244 meters, with individual drill lengths ranging from 130 to 556 meters. These drills, strategically located within the current pit boundaries, were designed to capture a wide spectrum of grades, host rocks, and mineralogies for the metallurgical program. The selection aimed at enhancing the resource classification from indicated to measured, contributing to a more robust understanding of the Casino deposit.
Notably, the drill results underscored the Core Zone’s potential, particularly highlighted by significant intersections in DDH23-05, which revealed 158.5 meters of supergene mineralization with a copper equivalent (CuEq) of 0.82%. Additionally, DDH23-04 and DDH23-06, positioned at the periphery of the Core Zone, showcased promising CuEq of 0.56% over 86.0 meters and 0.52% over 174.0 meters, respectively.
Metallurgical Program Objectives:
The metallurgical testing will involve fifteen composite samples representing both supergene and hypogene mineralization across various grades. These samples will undergo comminution and flotation tests aimed at producing a definitive concentrate for each composite. This comprehensive testing seeks to refine the geometallurgical model of the Casino deposit, enhancing the project’s development strategy and operational planning.
The testing program is being conducted at ALS Metallurgy in Kamloops, BC, under the supervision of experts from Western, Rio Tinto Canada Inc., and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. This collaborative approach ensures a broad spectrum of expertise guiding the metallurgical testing, promising to deliver valuable insights into the Casino project’s potential.
Western Copper and Gold’s initiation of this metallurgical program marks a critical phase in the Casino project’s advancement, underlining the company’s commitment to leveraging scientific and technical expertise to unlock the deposit’s value. The program’s findings are anticipated to play a crucial role in the project’s future development, positioning Western Copper and Gold at the forefront of sustainable and efficient resource development. 
