Gunnison Copper Corp. (TSX: GCU) (OTCQB: GCUMF) (FSE: 3XS0) (“Gunnison” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that mineral processing has started with first copper sales expected in September at the fully-permitted Johnson Camp Mine (“JCM”), in southeast Arizona.
“A major milestone for Gunnison Copper has been achieved, as we started leaching copper on July 18, about one year after starting to construct the leach pad,” states Robert Winton, SVP Operations of Gunnison Copper. He continues, “Working with our partners, Nuton, M3, Rango, and Schmueser has been a pleasure and the results speak to the incredible dedication and perseverance of the entire team. We have managed to grow our 11 year no lost time accident record at JCM with over 100+ employees and contractors at site. We are just months away from producing finished copper in Arizona, when copper is trading at an all-time high price and when there is an increased need for Made in America solutions to our energy and national security.”
Progress as of the Company’s last update includes:
- Stacking and acid curing of mineralized material has commenced (Figure 1).
- Material continues to be stockpiled in advance of the completion of the leach pads (Figure 2).
- Leach pad Phase-2 is complete.
- Phase-3 leach pad is complete and conveyors constructed.
Since the Company’s last update, the Company is pleased to report that JCM construction activities continue to progress as planned. The overflow pond construction has been completed ahead of first acid irrigation. The pipelines from the leach pads to the SX/EW plant are complete, and Phase-1 pad leaching has started, with first copper cathode from Run-of-mine (ROM) oxide production using conventional leach technology scheduled for September. First copper using Nuton technology is expected before the end of the year.
Figure 1 – Stacking mineralized material from the JCM pit in panels for leaching on the ROM pad.
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