Metallurgical Testwork
The Richmond-Julia Creek Vanadium project is a large, low grade, high calcite content resource. The key to unlocking the great potential has always been about finding the right metallurgical solution to economically extract the vanadium from the ore.
Significant metallurgical testwork has been undertaken over the past four years with all testwork utilising established conventional techniques to minimise technical risk. A two-step process has been verified to firstly upgrade mined ore from a grade of 0.49% to a shipping grade of 1.82% V2O5 concentrate. The second stage involves extraction via recovery process to produce 98% V2O5 flake for use in the steel and energy storage markets.
A provisional patent application has been lodged with IP Australia covering the method for the extraction of vanadium.
The project is expected to have a production rate of 4.2 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) Run of Mine (ROM) ore mined and processed on site to produce approximately 790,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) concentrate. The PFS metrics were calculated over a 25-year initial life of mine however at the stated rate of production the reserve can support a nominal mine life of over 100 years at Lilyvale.
Confirmatory metallurgical testwork commenced at multiple laboratories in China and Australia for concentrate and high purity vanadium pentoxide production ahead of pilot plant testing.
