Metals Australia Ltd (ASX:MLS) is confident that petrography on high-grade titanium- vanadium-iron-sulphide mineralisation from drillhole MND003 at Manindi West in WA indicates it could more than double the vanadium content of the remaining magnetite concentrate product.
The end result could be more than 1% V2O5 and up to 60% Fe and the production of a separate, saleable, titanium-rich ilmenite product.
Previously completed diamond drillhole, MND0031, tested the three km strike length Manindi West mafic intrusive target below previous RC hole MNRC0712,3 that had produced a broad vanadium- titanium-magnetite intersection of 70m @ 0.30% V2O5, 28% Fe, 11.5% TiO2 from 48m incl. 20m @ 0.44% V2O5, 34.8% Fe, 14.3% TiO22.
The mineralisation comprises magnetite and ilmenite crystals with interstitial sulphides that include pyrrhotite, pyrite and chalcopyrite
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analyses of the magnetite and ilmenite indicates that:
i) Titanium is almost entirely contained in the ilmenite (SEM: TiO2 51.5%, FeO 46.5%, V2O5 0.3%), and, ii) Vanadium is almost entirely contained in the magnetite (SEM: V2O5 1.6%, FeO 97.7%, TiO2 0.35%).
Ilmenite is a composite of iron and titanium oxides and is weakly magnetic. Highly magnetic minerals, such as magnetite, can be separated by a low intensity magnetic separator. The residual material can then be subjected to a wet high intensity magnetic separation stage to concentrate the ilmenite.
The resulting high-grade magnetite concentrate can grade up to 60% Fe and >1% V2O5 and would represent a high-value ore for downstream processing. Facilities are being developed for downstream processing of such ores within WA, including at the Australian Vanadium Project, 200km north of Manindi that has completed a bankable feasibility study into on-site concentrate production and downstream processing in Geraldton to produce high-value Vanadium Pentoxide (V2O5)4.
The high-grade titanium ilmenite concentrate (targeting >50% TiO2, >25% Fe) then becomes an additional high-value product that is priced at around $USD 42k/t.
These petrographic results are quite a breakthrough for the company,” Chairman Mike Scivolo said.
“Being able to separate the high-grade titanium mineral, ilmenite, from the magnetite means that the company could produce several high-value products, including a high-grade vanadium bearing magnetite concentrate which is highly sought-after feedstock for vanadium pentoxide production.
“Vanadium Pentoxide is used to generate vanadium electrolyte for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs) that are fast becoming the ideal grid-energy storage battery technology for renewable energy projects.”
Follow-up drilling is set to commence to test across the entire magnetic unit at Manindi West, including the base of the intrusive where there is also potential for nickel-copper-cobalt bearing massive sulphide zones.
Two diamond drillholes for approximately 600m are planned to test the Manindi West vanadium-titanium- sulphide target. A drilling contractor has been mobilised and drilling will commence early next week.