Heavy Rare Earths (ASX:HRE) has posted results from the expansion of its diagnostic leaching program on rare earth mineralisation at the wholly owned Cowalinya Project near Esperance in Western Australia.
The company says the program has delivered an upgraded rare earth material by simple screening, up to 2.7 times in as low as 15.4% of the feed mass, as well as ‘excellent’ magnet rare earth extraction to leach as high as 92.3%.
Results also demonstrate low acid consumption as low as 3.8kg per tonne.
The company also reports downstream flowsheet program to a mixed rare earth carbonate product is nearing completion.
Executive Director Richard Brescianini says: “Expansion of the diagnostic acid leaching program over a large part of our Cowalinya rare earth resource has confirmed and, for some metrics, exceeded results from last year’s sighter test work.
We have demonstrated the efficient extraction of magnet rare earths, using modest volumes of commercial-grade acid, for many composite samples that represent a range of saprolite feed grades. This data provides HRE with a solid foundation for leach optimization test work, leading to larger-scale piloting and the analysis of the project from a commercial perspective.
Our parallel workstream to produce mixed rare earth carbonate product has experienced delays associated with sample loss, assay turnaround and flowsheet modification. Nonetheless this program is nearing completion and results are anticipated in the coming weeks.”
Heavy Rare Earths is an Australian rare earths explorer and developer focused on its ‘key’ Cowalinya Project near Norseman in Western Australia.
Write to Adam Drought at Mining.com.au
Images: Heavy Rare Earths
