Spanish Mountain Gold Receives Positive Particle Ore Sorting Results for the Phoenix Deposit Highlighting Production Upside
Spanish Mountain Validates Ore-Sorting Upside as it De-Risks Path to 2027 Construction Decision
The most recent news (March 2, 2026) announces Phase 1 results for sensor-based particle ore sorting at the Phoenix deposit. Key findings include the ability to reject 50% to 70% of waste material while maintaining 85% to 92% gold recovery. This process effectively upgrades the feed grade by two times or more. The company has immediately moved into Phase 2 testing with 100kg bulk samples to optimize algorithms for mill feed.
The impact is Routine - Positive. While the results are technically impressive (doubling the grade), they are incremental to the strategy outlined in the July 2025 PEA and the October 2025 announcement of the ore-sorting program. - Operational Efficiency: Rejecting 50-70% of mass before it hits the mill significantly reduces power and reagent consumption per ounce produced. - Resource Optimization: This technology is critical for Spanish Mountain because its global M&I grade is relatively low (0.44 g/t). Doubling the head grade through sorting could transform the economics of the "first decade" of production. - Expectation Alignment: The market was already aware of this initiative; these results provide the necessary validation but do not yet change the fundamental PEA economics until integrated into a Feasibility Study.
Spanish Mountain Gold is developing its 100%-owned Spanish Mountain Gold Project in the Cariboo Gold Corridor, BC. - Flagship Project: A bulk-tonnage, open-pit resource with 4.2M oz Au (M&I). - PEA Highlights (July 2025): After-tax NPV5% of C$1.0B at $2,450 gold, jumping to C$2.3B at $3,300 gold. - Production Profile: 24.5-year mine life, averaging 203k oz/year for the first five years.