Metallic Minerals Achieves 99.9% Pure Copper Extraction at La Plata Project

Metallic Minerals Corp. has announced successful results from its collaboration with Columbia University. The project aims to recover high-purity copper directly from sulphide mineralized material at the La Plata site in Colorado. The study demonstrates that electrochemical oxidative leaching, followed by electrodeposition, can efficiently produce 99.9% pure copper.

Initial tests achieved a 70% copper recovery rate without prior flotation or high-temperature processes. Importantly, other valuable elements like silver and gold remain in an iron-rich residue, potentially allowing for their separate recovery.

This innovative method offers a two-stage process that might lessen reliance on traditional smelting, aligning with environmental goals. The research continues to explore optimizing copper recoveries and developing recovery paths for other metals while assessing commercial viability.