Silverton’s Willa Project to use Roca Mines Max Mill

— Photo courtesy Discovery Ventures.

It is the strategy of Discovery, which recently purchased Roca Mines, to utilize the Max Mill to process minerals from Discovery's Willa Project.

The Willa Project consists of 5,328 hectares and is located 8 kilometres south of the town of Silverton, British Columbia and is strategically located 135 highway kilometres from the Max Mill.

Underground mine workings consist of two adit levels, an internal level with two declines and two raises connecting the levels. The main track haulage level (1,025 meters) is completed for 900 meters to the core of the mineralized zones.

The Willa Project has been developed over time, with historic expenditures of approximately $18 million to develop it to its present status. Geological mapping, as well as Geochemical and geophysical surveys have led to 596 diamond drill holes totalling approximately 189,000 feet (57,250 metres) of core drilling and approximately 8,500 feet (2,575 metres) of underground workings. With the exception of a bulk metallurgical sample of 545 tonnes, no production mining has been commenced at the Willa Project.

Bench-scale metallurgical test-work was conducted by three companies including Lakefield Research, Gary Hawthorn (Northair Group) and PRA Labs between 1985 and 2005. The results of locked-cycle tests indicated recoveries of 81% Au and 93% Cu. A concentrate grading 24% Cu was projected from a mineral head grade in the order of 7.0 g Au/t and 0.9% Cu.