Posted on 03 Jul 2023
Australian miner Ardea Resources reports the mineral resource estimate for its Goongarrie Hub nickel-cobalt deposits at Kalgoorlie Nickel Project (KNP) in Western Australia exceeds 6 million tonnes of contained nickel, Kallanish notes.
The KNP global MRE (using a 0.5% nickel cut-off grade) now stands at 854 million tonnes at 0.71% nickel and 0.045% cobalt for 6.1m t of contained nickel and 386,000 t of contained cobalt.
The Goongarrie Hub is undergoing a pre-feasibility study (PFS) for an open pit mining operation feeding a 3m t/y high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) and 0.5m t/y atmospheric leach (AL) circuit using proven technology to produce mixed hydroxide product (MHP) for the lithium-ion battery sector.
Ardea Resources’ ceo Andrew Penkethman says the KNP Goongarrie Hub pre-feasibility study technical work streams are completed, with final sign-off expected shortly.
“Whilst completing the open pit optimisations of the resource models, it was apparent that additional tonnes of nickel-cobalt bearing mineralised neutraliser below the 0.5% nickel reporting grade would be recovered within the mine plan,” he says.
According to Penkethman, this extra neutralising material contributes additional project value through its magnesite component being used in the leaching circuit for acid neutralisation, to which it adds nickel-cobalt units at nil cost.
Additionally, he says the mineralised neutraliser fines component contribute to the nickel-cobalt production as the dominant feed for the atmospheric leach circuit. This excellent research and development outcome is protected by an international patent application recently lodged.
Source:Kallanish
