Rockfire Resources plc (LON: ROCK), a base metal, critical mineral and precious metal exploration company, has announced that initial ore sorting tests at its 100%-owned Molaoi zinc deposit in Greece have upgraded the average zinc grade by 132.5%. The tests, conducted by TOMRA Mining using X-Ray Transmission technology, lifted the feed grade from 5.85% zinc to 13.6% zinc in the first sort. The results support including an ore sorting stage in the processing flow sheet ahead of a forthcoming feasibility study, the company announced on 13 November 2026.

Key Points

  • Rockfire Resources plc (LON: ROCK) — base metal and critical mineral exploration company with assets in Greece and Queensland, Australia
  • TOMRA Mining XRT ore sorting tests upgraded Molaoi zinc feed grade from 5.85% to 13.6% Zn, a 132.5% uplift, with overall zinc recovery of 97.7% across all three sort stages
  • Second sort achieved 11.7% Zn (99.5% grade uplift); third sort achieved 9.9% Zn (69.7% uplift); maiden JORC germanium resource is nearing completion
  • Investors may be watching progress on a larger bulk sample test under commercial conditions and the upcoming feasibility study incorporating ore sorting capital and operating costs

TOMRA XRT Testing Delivers Three-Stage Zinc Grade Uplift at Molaoi, Greece

Using a cascade sorting method on 48 quarter-core samples totalling 65 kg, TOMRA Mining applied XRT technology that measures X-ray attenuation pixel-by-pixel to distinguish high-density zinc- and lead-bearing particles from waste rock. The first sort produced high-density ore at 13.6% zinc with a mass pull of 34.5%. A second pass yielded medium-density ore at 11.7% zinc and a total mass pull of 46.8%, while the third sort returned lower-density ore at 9.9% zinc with a mass pull of 57.7%. Crucially, the three combined stages recovered 97.7% of the zinc present in the original feed sample, the announcement states.

Molaoi Deposit Context: 15 Million Tonne JORC Resource Underpins Sorting Significance

The Molaoi deposit holds a JORC Inferred Mineral Resource of 15.0 million tonnes grading 7.26% zinc, 1.75% lead, and 39.50 g/t silver, equating to 1.09 million tonnes of zinc, 260,000 tonnes of lead, and 19.1 million ounces of silver. The deposit also contains germanium, and the company's maiden JORC germanium resource is stated to be nearing completion. Located in Greece, Molaoi is Rockfire's flagship project. The ore sorting results are considered particularly relevant because they may potentially offset dilution caused by overbreak during underground mining of the stopes, according to the announcement.

Feasibility Study Flow Sheet to Incorporate Ore Sorting Stage and Bulk Sample Next Step

The company stated that the processing flow sheet prepared for the upcoming feasibility study will include the capital and operating costs associated with installing an ore sorting stage prior to ball mill feed. Chief Executive Officer David Price, who compiled the technical information as a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, noted in the announcement that the next step involves supplying TOMRA with a substantially larger bulk sample for testing under commercial conditions. That bulk material is expected to be sourced from underground once the underground workings are reopened, the announcement states.

Rockfire's Broader Portfolio: Queensland Gold Assets Subject to Farm-In Agreements

Beyond Molaoi, Rockfire holds gold and copper projects in Queensland, Australia. The Plateau deposit carries a JORC Inferred Resource of 131,000 ounces of gold and 800,000 ounces of silver and is subject to a farm-in by ASX-listed Sunshine Metals Ltd (ASX: SHN). The Marengo prospect, which hosts high-grade gold, silver, and copper within a historic goldfield, is subject to a farm-in by ASX-listed Eastern Resources Ltd (ASX: EFE). These assets diversify Rockfire's project base, though investor attention at this juncture is likely focused on the Molaoi ore sorting development and the forthcoming germanium resource estimate.