McLaren Minerals’ (ASX:MML) Prefeasibility Study is nearing completion with engineering for its namesake minerals sands project in Western Australia almost finalised.
The Prefeasibility Study (PFS) is designed around producing 400,000 tonnes per year of ilmenite concentrate.
Final assays are imminent and will flow into a resource estimate update for the project, which currently totals 280 million tonnes @ 4.8% heavy minerals, containing 4 million tonnes of ilmenite. Mineralogical work is also underway.
Managing Director Simon Finnis says the last few steps are now underway and the company has received an independent marketing report that supports McLaren’s development rationale.
“Specifically, we have noted the growth in smelting of sulphate ilmenites for some time particularly in Europe and the Middle East, with the evolution in China now also clear; that process provides two product streams namely pig iron and chloride slag, rather than one using the sulphate pigment process and means revenue is increased and waste generation is minimised,” Finnis says.
“Our product has a very high combination of titanium oxide + iron so a realistic consumption pathway would be through a smelter.
“Because of the high titanium oxide credits, chloride slag is a very popular feedstock for the chloride pigment producers, We have a very large inventory of sulphate ilmenite in our resource already, so this market shift bodes well for McLaren as we move towards the production phase.”
Earlier this year, the company outlined it is continuing to finalise its 2025 exploration programs amid progressing the upcoming PFS, as Mining.com.au reported.
Results from an aircore drilling program and metallurgical testwork will be used to validate a flowsheet designed by IHC Mining laboratory in Queensland and to complete follow-up tests to allow development of a slimes management strategy for McLaren.
The McLaren Minerals Sand Project, covering 333km2, is located on the western side of the Eucla Basin adjacent to the Fraser Range in Western Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: McLaren Minerals
