Hawsons Iron (ASX:HIO) is now collating engineering and cost data for an updated Prefeasibility Study (PFS) after completing dry comminution testwork for its namesake project in New South Wales.
Findings from the recent testwork support the use of a 100% dry processing circuit, which Hawsons says is a “significant project enhancement”.
In parallel, Hawsons also completed a resource variability study and has engaged independent engineering consultants Stantec to prepare a project report.
Hawson says the project report provides confidence for further investigation into potential secondary products, such as hematite and silica sands, and flow on optimisation of mine design, processing and logistics.
The report will be used as the basis for defining a maiden reserve and delivering an updated PFS.
CEO Tom Revy says the results are crucial for cost optimisation and smarter decision making as Hawsons heads towards finalising the process flow sheet by the end of this year.
“The last six months has been all about more thoroughly testing and understanding the technical properties (de-risking) of the Hawsons deposit and testing the viability of a 100% dry processing circuit,” he says.
“The result is a simplified, lower cost and environmentally cleaner alternative to a traditional hydrometallurgical route.”
Hawsons plans to co-dispose mine waste with dry processing waste as part of a sustainable project waste management program.
The variability and optimisation programs have been completed on time and budget, according to the company.
“The next phase of detailed work will involve piloting of the material through GEBR Pfeiffer’s test facility in Germany, which will result in defining the project’s final process design criteria,” Revy says.
“This is a critical component towards completing a Definitive Feasibility Study.”
The Hawsons Iron Project is located 70km from Broken Hill in New South Wales and hosts 4.4 billion tonnes of soft magnetite ore.
Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au
Images: Hawsons Iron
