Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 10, 2025) - Kodiak Copper Corp. (TSXV: KDK) (OTCQB: KDKCF) (FSE: 5DD1) (the "Company" or "Kodiak") today reports results from its initial metallurgical testwork program conducted on samples from the Company's 100%-owned MPD copper-gold project in southern British Columbia. The testwork, completed on representative drill core samples, demonstrates positive metallurgical performance with good recoveries and clean concentrate characteristics, confirming the favourable metallurgy of the MPD mineralization.
View Video of CEO Claudia Tornquist and VP Dave Skelton Discuss the News:
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Robust flotation rougher recoveries of up to 89.9% copper, 74.1% gold, and 76.0% silver;
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Flotation testing confirmed that a high-grade copper concentrate exceeding 26% copper can be produced from the MPD mineralization;
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The copper concentrates had significant gold grades of between 6.2 and 16.9 g/t, enhancing the value of the concentrate;
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Gold contained in pyrite presents an opportunity to further improve gold recovery. This and other optimization opportunities will be explored in the next phase of metallurgical testing; and
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Low concentrations of deleterious trace metals were observed suggesting the potential for clean, high-quality concentrates.
Claudia Tornquist, President and CEO of Kodiak said, "These results are a significant milestone in the advancement of the MPD project. They confirm that the copper mineralization at MPD is amenable to conventional processing and reinforce the potential for a high-quality, saleable copper concentrate with significant gold content. This further de-risks the project as we continue to work towards a maiden resource estimate, a major milestone and value catalyst for Kodiak which is expected in the near future."
The introductory metallurgical testwork program was designed to develop an understanding of the metallurgical responses of the mineralized material at MPD as well as to determine baseline copper and gold recoveries. A flotation program, incorporating automated mineralogy which uses advanced analytical techniques to quantitatively determine mineral composition, was designed to develop a fundamental understanding of the factors that drive recovery and concentrate grade.
Sample Selection & Methodology
Three composite samples of half split core were collected for the metallurgical testwork program. The composites were selected to build a cross section of grades from six zones at the MPD project: Gate/Prime, Man, Dillard, West, Adit and South/Mid. Early-stage pit optimization work was referenced to determine representative grades to support the sample selection. The three composites were chosen to represent low grade, average grade, and high-grade samples from the six zones. The samples were named MPD North High Grade (MPDNHG), MPD North Low Grade (MPDNLG), and MPD South (MPDS).
Each of the three composites were initially subjected to automated mineralogy using the industry standard TESCAN TIMA platform. The mineralogy identified that the majority of the copper is in the form of chalcopyrite with a small amount of bornite and chalcocite.
The flotation testwork utilized a proven, industry-standard copper flotation flowsheet that included rougher and cleaner stage flotation tests to recover copper, gold, and silver. The rougher is a primary flotation stage intended to separate valuable minerals from barren rock. The cleaner is a secondary stage intended to concentrate the valuable minerals to a high-grade final concentrate product. A total of 24 flotation tests utilizing common reagents were performed to confirm metallurgical performance and provided valuable data to support optimization of recovery and final concentrate grade.
Metallurgical Test Work Results
The results demonstrated copper rougher recoveries of 89.0% and 89.9% for the MPDNHG and MPDS samples respectively, and 82.3% copper rougher recovery for the MPDNLG sample. Gold showed good recovery by flotation, with between 59.7% and 74.1% reporting to the rougher concentrate.
Cleaner flotation tests were conducted to demonstrate that saleable copper concentrates bearing high gold credits (considered >22% Cu) could be produced from each of the samples. The concentrates produced in the testwork were of good quality, returning copper grades of between 22% to 26.7% and gold assays between 6.2 g/t (low gold grade feed) to 16.9 g/t. Analysis of the concentrates also show that the concentrates have low concentrations of deleterious elements.
The results of the testwork are presented in Table 1.
Table 1: Sample Feed Grade, Rougher Recovery and Max Concentrate Grade
Sample | Feed Grade | Rougher Stage Recoveries % |
Max Concentrate Grade | ||||||
Cu (%) |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (g/t) |
Cu | Au | Ag | Cu (%) |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (g/t) |
|
MPD North High Grade |
0.41 | 0.44 | 2.55 | 89.0 | 69.9 | 81.1 | 26.7 | 16.9 | 76.4 |
MPD North Low Grade |
0.16 | 0.09 | 1.00 | 82.3 | 59.7 | 54.8 | 22.0 | 6.2 | 41.3 |
MPD South | 0.35 | 0.28 | 3.35 | 89.9 | 74.1 | 76.0 | 22.2 | 11.5 | 94.1 |
Source - JDS (2025) |
It was seen during the program that a portion of the gold in the samples is associated with pyrite, as is observed at other Quesnel Belt porphyry systems, indicating that standard sulphide flotation recovery methods are acceptable for producing gold in concentrate. Increasing the pyrite content in the copper concentrate, while maintaining a saleable concentrate grade, has been identified as an opportunity to maximize gold recoveries and will be explored in future testwork.
The initial testwork confirmed that the mineralization at MPD responds well to standard processing methods. Further metallurgical testwork will build on the knowledge developed during this initial program to identify opportunities to improve recoveries.
QA/QP
The metallurgical program was carried out by Blue Coast Research, a leading provider of metallurgical testing services for the global mining industry. Blue Coast was selected to conduct initial metallurgical and mineralogical assessment of the MPD mineralization. The metallurgical and mineralogical work was conducted under the supervision of Tad Crowie, P. Eng of JDS Energy & Mining Inc. ("JDS"), a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. JDS is an international mining consultancy with extensive experience across a wide range of deposit types and metals, including many porphyry copper projects in British Columbia. Mr. Crowie has reviewed this news release and approved the technical information pertaining to the metallurgical work. Dave Skelton, P.Geol, Vice President Exploration and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical information contained in this release.
Stock Option Grant
Kodiak also granted 50,000 stock options (the "Options") to an employee of the Company. The Options are exercisable at C$0.50 per share for a period of five years from the date of grant with 1/3 vesting immediately and 1/3 every year thereafter. The Options were granted pursuant to the Company's shareholder approved stock option plan and are subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and any applicable regulatory hold periods.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Kodiak Copper Corp.
Claudia Tornquist
President & CEO
For further information contact:
Nancy Curry, VP Corporate Development
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+1 (604) 646-8362
About Kodiak Copper Corp.
Kodiak is focused on its 100% owned copper porphyry projects in Canada and the USA that have been historically drilled and present known mineral discoveries with the potential to hold large-scale deposits. The Company's most advanced asset is the MPD copper-gold porphyry project in the prolific Quesnel Terrane in south-central British Columbia, Canada, a mining district with producing mines and excellent infrastructure. MPD has all the hallmarks of a major, multi-centered porphyry district with the potential to become a world-class mine. Work to date has outlined multiple substantial mineralized zones across the property, including several zones with near-surface, high-grade mineralization. A maiden resource estimate for MPD is planned in 2025 and with known mineralized zones open to expansion and more target areas yet to be tested, Kodiak continues to systematically explore the project to build critical mass and make the next discovery. The Company also holds the Mohave copper-molybdenum-silver porphyry project in Arizona, USA, near the world-class Bagdad mine.
Kodiak's founder and Chairman is Chris Taylor who is well-known for his gold discovery success with Great Bear Resources. Kodiak is also part of Discovery Group led by John Robins, one of the most successful mining entrepreneurs in Canada.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement)
This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "expect", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "predict", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning the Company's exploration plans. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with conditions in the equity financing markets, and assumptions and risks regarding receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals.
Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.