Golden Deeps Ltd (ASX: GED) has encountered significant germanium and gallium rare earth element (REE) results from surface at the Nosib deposit on its recently renewed EPL3543 located in Namibia’s highly-prospective Otavi Mountain Land base metals province.
China has announced that it will impose export restrictions on gallium and germanium products used in computer chips, semi-conductors and other components to protect its national security interests. This will likely result in a shortage of supply of germanium and gallium for countries outside China that produce such components such as Japan, Korea and the USA,” CEO, Jon Dugdale, said.
“Golden Deeps has polymetallic deposits in the Otavi Mountain Land of Namibia which include high- grade vanadium, copper and zinc as well as significant germanium and gallium from surface at Nosib.
“Metallurgical concentrate testwork is close to completion, which will allow the company to finalise a maiden Mineral Resource estimate for Nosib. Concentrate samples should also contain significant germanium and gallium, potentially representing high-value credits.
“We look forward to further drilling which is set to commence, testing for shallow extensions of Nosib.
“The company is also drilling a major low resistivity geophysical target to the west of the high-grade Khusib Springs copper-silver-zinc mine, that has similarities to the Tsumeb deposit. Tsumeb was a major copper, lead, zinc and silver mine, as well as a significant germanium producer.”
Bulk samples from hole NSBDD008, as well as from a surface excavation at Nosib are currently undergoing gravity concentrate metallurgical testwork at Nagrom Laboratories in Perth. This work is close to completion and will generate a high-grade vanadium, copper, lead, silver concentrate with significant levels of germanium and gallium expected.
Downstream hydrometallurgical leach testing will be carried out on the concentrate, along the same lines as work previously completed on concentrate samples from the Abenab vanadium (zinc-lead-copper) project, which showed vanadium extraction rates of up to 95% and high extraction of lead, zinc and copper. Germanium and gallium can also be recovered through hydrometallurgical leaching and will be included in future downstream testwork on the Nosib concentrate samples.
The completion of the metallurgical testwork at Nosib will allow the company to generate indicative processing costs and finalise the Nosib resource model and pit optimisation. This will result in a maiden Mineral Resource for the project.
Mining studies on Nosib will be integrated with an updated resource model and mining studies on the Abenab deposit to produce an integrated mining and processing study for the production of vanadium as well as copper, lead, zinc and silver and potentially the addition of other valuable by-products such as germanium and gallium.
Initial resource modelling indicates that the Nosib deposit could extend to the west of the currently drilled deposit, under shallow cover. Further drilling is planned as part of the Khusib Springs geophysical target drilling program, scheduled to commence within two weeks.