With iron ore prices within shouting distance of the $US200/t mark, the ability of Australian Vanadium’s project to produce a +60 per cent iron coproduct is encouraging.
The characterisation and testwork proving that concentrates from the southern ore blocks at its namesake project can produce the coproduct is one of four milestones that the company’s research activities, which are part funded by a $1.25m grant from Australia’s Co-operative Research Centre Project (CRC-P) have achieved.
Other milestones achieved by Australian Vanadium (ASX:AVL) include:
The pyrometallurgical pilot confirming the suitability of Metso’s Grate Kiln technology after achieving extractions of up to 94.9 per cent;
Hydrometallurgical test work demonstrating the effectiveness of the ammonium polyvanadate precipitation process to produce a high purity product; and
Benchscale reduction-roast test work demonstrating that the iron-titanium coproduct stream can be upgraded to 66 per cent iron, with further work underway using alternative reductants such as green hydrogen.
This work has allowed the company to submit a vanadium processing circuit patent application and also complements progress towards completion of a bankable feasibility study for the Australian Vanadium project.
“The AVL team and its partners in the CRC-P have added significant value to the project with the help of the CRC-P funding,” managing director Vincent Algar said.
“The results will add further positive economic benefits to the project and strengthen the detailed technical knowledge which underpins the company’s approach.
“This success of the CRC-P so far has been helped by working with high calibre partners Wood, ALS, Curtin University and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.”
Research milestones
The company’s CRC-P is organised into six sub-projects, or milestones.
Four of these are aligned with the company’s bankable feasibility study and have been the focus of its work over the past year.
Work is ongoing on the remaining two, regarding vanadium electrolyte production and low-grade beneficiation work streams that are not part of the BFS.
However, these work streams could still maximise upstream and downstream benefits.
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