Aftermath Silver Ltd. announced that on-going metallurgical test work has successfully produced battery grade manganese sulphate crystals, assaying 32.4% Mn (High-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate or "HPMSM") from a third drill core composite sample of silver-copper-manganese mineralization from its Berenguela project in Peru. The test work on Aftermath Sample # RD2MEDA (KCA Sample # KCA-100181) was carried out at Kappes Cassiday and Associates' (KCA) Reno facility and as per the previous 2 composites the test work involved only hydrometallurgical processes; electrowinning was not required for purification. Sample RD2MEDA represents a substantial portion of the Berenguela mineral resource containing between 12-16% combined calcium and magnesium.
Composite samples representing over 67% of the M&I resource in terms of geometallurgical parameters have now been tested and successfully produced HPMSM on bench-scale test work. The tables below contain results for the head assay grade of the composite test sample R2MEDA and the final MnSO4 analysis. Investors are cautioned that this is historical metallurgical work that Aftermath has not yet fully validated, and it should not be relied on.
However, KCA is currently duplicating much of the historic work on behalf of AAG and the results to date suggest that the historic work is repeatable and was done to a high standard. The model is depleted for historical mining activities. All sample preparation and assaying were carried out in Reno, Nevada by Kappes, Cassiday & Associates.
Head sample assays were performed on ICP-OES by standard 4-acid digestion. All digestions were run in parallel with OREAS certified reference materials. Ag content in the head samples were QC'd by fire assay for verification.
A suite of 28 elements were tested in the head samples and on all subsequent assays. After dissolution of the mineralization, and following each purification step, all solutions were analyzed by ICP-OES. After all trace impurities were removed, solutions were subjected to evaporative crystallization yielding MnSO 4.H2O (HPMSM) crystals.
The solution which was evaporated to produce the crystals was analyzed (prior to crystallization) to confirm that there were no elements in solution which were above the allowable levels for HPMSM listed impurities. Crystals were then dried for 48 hours to remove residual water. To verify purity, crystals were dissolved in water and re-analyzed.
These analyses confirmed that the crystals were within spec for all listed elements.