Aurquest Alaska Inc. has taken a significant step towards enhancing its gold recovery processes by signing a letter of intent with Innovation Mining Inc. to test the latter’s proprietary RZOLV solution on bulk samples of placer mining black sands. This move could potentially revolutionize the way gold is extracted from these challenging materials, offering a non-toxic alternative to traditional methods that rely on mercury and cyanide.
Placer mining, which involves extracting gold from gravels and beach sands, typically uses gravity recovery methods to separate the precious metal. However, the heavy black sand concentrates—comprising primarily ilmenite, magnetite, garnet, rutile, and monazite—often retain fine “flour gold” that is difficult to extract. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR), between 5 to 30% of the gold mined from placer mines in Alaska is locked up in these black sand concentrates.
Historically, mercury and cyanide have been the go-to chemicals for extracting gold from these concentrates. While effective, these substances are toxic, impractical for small-scale operations, and increasingly unacceptable due to environmental concerns. Innovation Mining’s RZOLV formula aims to address these issues by providing an efficient, effective, and non-toxic alternative.
The RZOLV solution is a closely guarded mix of non-toxic ingredients that can dissolve gold and other metals from ores, concentrates, and tailings. Initial testing in 2024, when the formula was known as NsOL, showed its potential as a cyanide alternative for leach pads, vats, or other gold leaching circuits used in large hard-rock mining operations. Metals can be recovered from the solution using conventional methods such as electrowinning, carbon adsorption, or ion exchange.
Recent tests have demonstrated RZOLV’s effectiveness in recovering fine gold from placer mining black sands. A 15-kilogram sample of black sand concentrates containing 362.8 grams per metric ton of gold was soaked in the RZOLV solution. After seven days, the solution recovered 99.61% of the contained gold. Notably, the black sands required no crushing, and the solution remained chemically stable throughout the process. Ongoing tests are exploring whether agitating the RZOLV-soaked black sands can reduce the time needed to achieve nearly 100% gold recovery.
With independent tests validating RZOLV’s viability in the lab, Aurquest has signed a letter of intent to test the scalability and applicability of using the eco-friendly, water-based formula for extracting precious metals locked up in black sands at its placer mining operations near Nome and in other Alaskan locations.
The potential business opportunities for Aurquest are substantial. Beyond increasing gold recoveries at its placer mining operations, successful bulk testing could lead to further collaboration with Innovation Mining, including granting Aurquest a toll processing license to use RZOLV for recovering gold from placer gold mining black sands in Alaska.
In 2024, Alaska’s hardrock and placer mines produced approximately 959,000 ounces of gold, with nearly 100,000 ounces recovered from over 200 active placer gold mining operations across the state. Based on USGS and Alaska DNR estimates, roughly 5,000 to 30,000 ounces of placer gold end up in black sand concentrates annually, equating to approximately $15 million to $100 million worth of gold accumulating in heavy mineral concentrates across the state.
For the often family-run placer gold mining operations, the ability to process these black sands could mean an extra end-of-season payday. For the broader industry, the use of RZOLV to recover flour gold from placer gold mining black sands is another step toward full commercialization of a non-toxic alternative to cyanide for leaching gold at large hardrock mining operations in Alaska and around the world.
This development could shape the future of the mining sector by promoting more sustainable and cost-effective practices. As the industry continues to face increasing scrutiny over its environmental impact, innovations like RZOLV offer a promising path forward, potentially setting a new standard for gold recovery processes. The success of this collaboration between Aurquest and Innovation Mining could pave the way for broader adoption of non-toxic technologies, ultimately benefiting both the environment and the bottom line of mining operations.