The mandate, the second being performed by DST with the producer, will define and confirm "at the laboratory scale" what gold extraction yields are achievable using the CLEVR process on its material.

Additionally, the test work will be used to develop an optimal process flowsheet for gold recovery, and an economic assessment to evaluate operational conditions, benefits and costs will be compiled.

The source of the material will one of the producer's South American projects.

"Following the laboratory campaign, DST will undertake the development of a numeric process model using METSIM software to simulate the industrial CLEVR conditions for the project.," DST said of the work. "Using the numeric process model and the test work data, an economic assessment, at the scoping level, will be generated to provide economic references for a full-scale implementation processing plant using DST's process."

The company will use its in-house engineers to perform the work, and that team will work closely with the gold producer.

The first mandate between the companies, done on a different gold project hold by the producer in June of this year, realised extraction yields of up to 95.6%.

DST holds the patents for both the CLEVR process and the GlassLock process in various countries.

The CLEVR process uses sodium hypochlorite with a catalytic amount of sodium hypobromite in acidic conditions to put gold into solution.