Platina Resources Limited: Technology Trials Seek to Improve Scandium Project Metrics
Perth, Australia - Platina Resources Ltd. (ASX:PGM) (FRA:P4R) (OTCMKTS:PTNUF) will seek to lower capital costs and enhance the revenue streams of its Platina Scandium Project near Condobolin in New South Wales by trialling two new technologies. The vat leaching trial will focus on leaching at atmospheric temperature and pressure where there is the potential to lower capital costs.Small-scale vat leaching
Platina will assess the application of a small-scale vat leach technology used for nickel laterite ores to scandium processing in a bid to establish a smaller, lower cost project better aligned to the low volumes of the current scandium market. While conventional high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL) may recover more metal, the technology is more complex, larger scale and requires considerably more capital. Core Metallurgy in Brisbane has been engaged to conduct the trial.
High purity alumina recovery
The Company has previously demonstrated that it could extract high purity alumina from clarified leach solutions produced from the recovery of scandium in a HPAL plant. However, recoveries were low. An alternative process technology will now be trialled to investigate whether we can achieve better recoveries of the aluminium which will be converted into high purity alumina, which has a premium value, and is used to manufacture sapphire glass and lithium-ion-battery separators.
Platina Managing Director, Corey Nolan, said emerging technologies promised to make the most of the Company's scandium project.
'The aim of the trials is to ensure we develop a project that utilises all the high value metals available in the deposit' Mr Nolan said. 'Vat leaching is smaller scale and is expected to be a far lower cost and could provide scandium to the market for product development. In the future, as the scandium market gets larger, HPAL processing could then be implemented, and improved recoveries of scandium, nickel and cobalt as well as an alumina by-product will enhance revenue streams significantly and offset the higher capital costs of the technology," he said.
About Platina Resources Limited:
Platina Resources Ltd. (ASX:PGM) Platina is an Australian-based company focused on returning shareholder value by advancing early-stage metals projects through exploration, feasibility, permitting and into development.
The Company has interests in the following projects:
- Platina Scandium Project (100% interest) - located in central New South Wales, the project is one of the largest and highest-grade scandium deposits in the world, which has the potential to become Australia's first scandium producer with cobalt and nickel credits. A Definitive Feasibility Study was completed in late 2018 demonstrating the technical and economic viability of constructing the project. The Company is now focused on completing the permitting and securing offtake and financing.
- Skaergaard (100% interest) - One of the world's largest undeveloped gold deposits and one of the largest palladium resources outside of South Africa and Russia, located in Greenland;
- Munni Munni (30% interest) - Situated in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, the project is one of Australia's most significant Platinum Group Metal occurrences. Munni Munni also has potential for conglomerate hosted gold and is a Joint Venture with Artemis Resources Ltd.; and
- Blue Moon (to earn a 70% interest) - Located in California, U.S.A, the project is subject to a Nl 43-101 Mineral Resource estimate. The resource is open at depth and along strike and has favourable metallurgy.
For more information please see: https://www.platinaresources.com.au
Source:
Platina Resources Ltd.
Contact:
Corey Nolan Managing Director Phone+61 (0)7 5580 9094 admin@platinaresources.com.au Gareth Quinn Corporate Affairs Manager Mobile: 0417 711 108 gareth@republicpr.com.au
