Viking Mines (ASX:VKA) reports that combined gravity and cleaner flotation circuit testwork at the Linka Tungsten Project in Nevada has delivered 56.9% tungsten trioxide concentrate grade at 76% recovery.
The increased recovery rate shows an improvement from the 59.8% recovery rate previously reported, representing a 1.27x uplift. It also exceeds the company’s target of over 70% recovery for grades above 50%.
Ongoing testwork focused on optimising the flotation stage, using a 10kg sample from the Linka Pit built on previous gravity and flotation results.
New optimisation testwork improved rougher and cleaner flotation circuit performance, resulting in the improved recovery rate as well as maintaining a ‘premium’ concentrate grade.
Viking also attained a combined gravity concentrate of 66.6% tungsten trioxide @ 42.16% recovery, with a flotation concentrate of 48.2% tungsten trioxide @ 33.89% recovery achieved from a 1.2% sample feed grade.
The 33.89% rougher and cleaner flotation recovery likewise represents improvement from the 17.1% recovery previously attained.
Viking notes that the current metallurgical testwork program reinforces the company’s ‘Rapid-Start’ model, prioritising low-cost physical separation over complex chemical processing.
It adds that the ability to produce a premium scheelite product with gravity alone represents a ‘significant’ competitive advantage.
These results will be included in the company’s conceptual processing study, which is currently underway.
Viking also notes that the company’s ability to produce ‘high-grade’ concentrates with a low-capex model is establishing the project as a “strategic asset” in Nevada, and for the US overall.
As the Department of War and other domestic manufacturers seek ‘NATO-grade’ tungsten, the company is positioning itself as a primary domestic solution.
Viking Mines is now moving the metallurgical program into optimisation and variability testing for the four bulk samples previously collected from Linka.
Key steps include flotation reagent optimisation, variability testing, comminution testing, gravity enhancements, ore sorting, modular blueprints, geological modelling, and maiden drilling.
According to CEO Julian Woodcock, drilling at Linka is scheduled to commence in the June 2026 quarter, starting with earthworks and drill site preparation.
“We’re advancing the metallurgical and resource workstreams in parallel to move the project forward as efficiently as possible,” Woodcock says.
Viking Mines is a diversified exploration and development company, focused on tungsten, gold, and vanadium projects.
Write to Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: Viking Mines
