Ardea Resources (ASX:ARL) has delivered an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Goongarrie Hub nickel-cobalt deposits within its Kalgoorlie Nickel Project (KNP) in Western Australia.
The company says the global MRE (using a 0.5% nickel cut-off grade) now stands at 854 million tonnes (Mt) @ 0.71% nickel (Ni) and 0.045% cobalt (Co) for 6.1 million tonnes of contained nickel and 386,000 tonnes of contained cobalt.
Ardea notes the Goongarrie Hub MRE was re-evaluated in order to consider the mineralised neutraliser (MN) that is captured in optimised open pits with a grade of less than the 0.5% nickel MRE reporting guide.
The upgrade comes during an ongoing Prefeasibility Study (PFS) for an open-pit mining operation at the Goongarrie Hub.
This PFS seeks to evaluate an operation feeding a 3 million tonne per annum (Mtpa) high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) and 0.5Mtpa atmospheric leach (AL) circuit using proven technology to produce mixed hydroxide product (MHP) for the lithium-ion battery (LIB) sector.
The technical work streams of the PFS are reported to have been completed, with a final review currently ongoing by competent persons and expected to be delivered in early July.
Commenting on the MRE increase, Ardea’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Andrew Penkethman says: “The Kalgoorlie Nickel Project Goongarrie Hub Prefeasibility Study technical work streams are completed, with final sign-off shortly by the various contributors. Whilst completing the open pit optimisations of the resource models, it was apparent that additional tonnes of nickel-cobalt-bearing Mineralised Neutraliser below the 0.5% nickel reporting grade would be recovered within the mine plan.
This extra neutralising material contributes additional project value through its Magnesite component being used in the leaching circuit for acid neutralisation, to which it adds nickel-cobalt units at nil cost. Additionally, the Mineralised Neutraliser Fines component contributes to the nickel-cobalt production as the dominant feed for the Atmospheric Leach circuit. This excellent R&D outcome is protected with an international patent application recently lodged (ASX release 15 June 2023).”
“This excellent R&D outcome is protected with an international patent application recently lodged”
Ardea Resources is an ASX-listed nickel resources company with a ‘large’ portfolio of wholly owned Western Australia-based projects. The company’s KNP and its subsequent Goongarrie Hub represent a ‘globally significant’ series of nickel-cobalt and critical mineral deposits that the company says host the largest nickel-cobalt resource in the developed world.
The Goongarrie Hub is located 70km northwest of the city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Currently, it stands as the company’s most advanced project within the broader KNP.
Ardea had $14.5 million cash at hand and no debt as of 31 March 2023, according to its latest quarterly report.
Write to Adam Drought at Mining.com.au
Images: Ardea Resources Ltd
