Ascendant Resources Reports Metallurgical Advancements at Lagoa Salgada Project in Portugal

Ascendant Resources Inc. has announced significant metallurgical improvements for its Lagoa Salgada Project in Portugal, showcasing enhanced zinc and lead recoveries and concentrate grades. These advancements mark a notable progression since the project's Feasibility Study in July 2023. The company detailed these findings, attributing the progress to an optimized test program focusing on the primary massive sulphides at the project's Venda Nova North Sector.

The updated metallurgical testing, conducted by Maelgwyn Metallurgical Laboratories with oversight from Minepro Solutions and DRA Global, revealed a 13% increase in zinc recoveries and a 22% increase in concentrate grades. These results indicate the project's potential to produce highly marketable zinc and lead concentrates. Additionally, the testing suggests possible lower capital and operating costs due to a simplified processing flow sheet and the use of coarser grind sizes than initially planned in the Feasibility Study.

Chairman Mark Brennan expressed optimism about the project's future, highlighting the exceptional recovery rates and simplified flotation process achieved. He noted that these outcomes position Lagoa Salgada favorably among current zinc and lead producers and align with the high benchmarks of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The ongoing optimization also includes testing for other ore domains, with further updates anticipated to contribute to an updated Feasibility Study scheduled for Q3 of this year.