The two and three-stage grinding magnetic separation test work has exceeded the results of the previous sighter test work and confirmed the opportunity to produce a high-grade, high-purity iron-vanadium concentrate of up to 67.1% iron at a 32-micron grind size and up to 64.3% iron at a 125-micron grind size.
Technology Metals Australia Ltd’s (ASX:TMT) (FRA:TN6) magnetic concentrate test work based on staged grinding of two large sample masses of fresh massive magnetite composites from the Yarrabubba Iron-Vanadium Project has produced high-grade magnetic concentrate.
This confirms the ability to produce a premium Platts 65 product with very low levels of deleterious elements.
The two and three-stage grinding magnetic separation test work has exceeded the results of the previous sighter test work and confirmed the opportunity to produce a high-grade, high-purity iron-vanadium concentrate of up to 67.1% iron at a 32-micron grind size and up to 64.3% iron at a 125-micron grind size.
Titanium separation test work is underway on non-magnetic tailings stream generated from Low-Intensity Magnetic Separation (LIMS) work.
Technology Metals managing director Ian Prentice said: “This test work has provided further confirmation of the opportunity to produce a high grade, high purity Fe-V magnetic concentrate at Yarrabubba as the test work programs scale up.
“Importantly the work has also provided sufficient sample to progress diagnostic titanium recovery test work, which the team is actively progressing as we embark on a very exciting and transformative 2021.
“The range of products anticipated to be generated from Yarrabubba is a very exciting component of the Project and is expected to be very well received by customers and funding partners.”
A program of sighter metallurgical test work, consisting of LIMS on seven representative composite samples formed from PQ diamond drill hole material, delivered outstanding high-grade, high-purity iron-vanadium concentrate results across all of the mineralised units at Yarrabubba.
The full set of LIMS test work confirmed the very high rejection of deleterious elements across all of the composites at the 32-micron grind size, with weighted average grades of 0.42% silicon dioxide, 0.67% aluminium oxide, 0.011% sulphur and 0.001% phosphorus.
A further round of laboratory-scale LIMS test work has now been completed on larger sample masses of the fresh massive magnetite composites.
This test work was designed to confirm the outcomes of the sighter test work under both three-stage (500 microns, 125 microns and 32 microns) and two-stage (125 microns and 32 microns) grind scenarios and generate sufficient volume of nonmagnetic tailings to further investigate the titanium separation circuit.
Results of the magnetic separation phase of the test work program have strongly confirmed the outcomes of the previously announced sighter test work.
The magnetic concentrate grades are typically slightly higher from the larger-scale test work relative to the sighter test work, with greater rejection of impurities.
The very high recoveries of both iron and vanadium into a magnetic concentrate for the massive fresh composites were also confirmed, with iron recoveries ranging from 76 to 90% and vanadium recoveries ranging from 85.0 to 93%.
Titanium separation test work
The original program of sighter metallurgical test work identified clear potential to discriminate between vanadiferous iron (V+Fe) phases and titanium-containing phases, resulting in titanium rejection to the non-magnetic tails stream.
Non-magnetic tails from the larger scale LIMS test work program have been collected from each cycle (grind size) and are being utilised for further investigation and optimisation of the potential to generate a high-grade titanium product from this tails stream using standard gravity separation techniques.
This work is underway, with the outcomes of the test work expected to provide further guidance on an appropriate flowsheet for the titanium separation, enhance the quality of the titanium product as well as provide guidance on the expected product yields.
Results from this phase of test work will be reported as they become available.
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