Pretium's Robert Quartermain

Pretium's Robert Quartermain

Bob Quartermain’s Pretium Resources (PVG:TSX) has begun processing the 10,000-tonne bulk sample from the Valley of the Kings material at the company’s Brucejack project (news release).  The material has been sent to a custom mill in Montana where it will be processed at a rate of 220tpd which will produce gold-silver gravity and flotation concentrates with expected gold recoveries in excess of 90%.  All of the bulk sample material is expected to be processed within 10 weeks.  Key with this bulk sample is to determine the continuity of grade as well as the optimal processing methodology which will produce the highest quality gold ounces.  At last week’s Denver Gold Forum, Mr. Quartermain said he expects to receive approximately 4,000 ounces of gold from the 10,000-tonne bulk sample (Watch).

PVG has been focused on underground fan drilling of which 2 planned drill fan results remain outstanding and are expected to be reported by mid this month.  Underground drilling at the Valley of the Kings has discovered some of the highest grade gold intercepts in the world, and certainly within Canada.  PVG has also recently completed an excavation drift along the newly discovered and extremely high-grade Cleopatra vein which remains open in all directions and continues to add to the 6.6 million ounces of gold reserves.

The company plans to drill the remaining 2,500m of a 16,500m underground program designed to test high-grade mineralization east of the bulk sample location.  This will be the basis of an updated resource and reserve estimate following the completion of underground and surface drilling, which will be incorporated in an update feasibility study later into 2014.

Here’s the news release: Pretium Bulk Sample and Exploration Drilling Update

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