New findings from the initial metallurgy on Voltaic Strategic Resources’ Neo prospect in the Paddys Well Project located in Western Australia’s Gascoyne region have revealed the presence of rare earth-enriched clays that can be efficiently processed upstream.
Selectively removing large particles from the clay samples yielded a 66 per cent uplift in TREO, a rise even higher for magnet rare earth, and a substantial waste reduction.
It adds another indicator towards economic extraction from what is beyond doubt an extensive rare earth system, with halloysite and high levels of alumina opposing low proportions of undesired iron and calcium.
Voltaic Chief Executive Michael Walshe said most rare earth was hosted in an ultrafine size fraction, making them highly amenable to upstream beneficiation.
This presents Voltaic with an opportunity to significantly upgrade REE grade, reduce the quantity of material processed, reduce deleterious elements, and substantially decrease reagent consumption and equipment requirements for full-scale operation,” Mr Walshe said.
“Up to 94% of the valuable magnetic REE mass can be recovered in the -20µm size fraction whilst removing ~40% of the total mass as waste. This represents a major step forward in proving the economic viability of an REE project at Neo.”
Clay-hosted quarry
While Ionic clay-hosted deposits have yet to be extensively explored or exploited in Australia, there is noted the potential for deposits in certain areas, and favourable metallurgy is crucial for economically extracting the elements which lie relatively common throughout the earth.
The Murray Basin in Southeastern Australia and the Northern Territory have both shown potential for viable deposits, and Voltaic has established itself as one of the early explorers to have revealed the potential for an ionic adsorption deposit in a Gascoyne region, fast becoming one of the prospective for rare earth in the nation.
Paddys Well is considered highly prospective for the REE mineralisation hosted in iron-rich carbonatite dykes or intrusions more typical of the area. Still, for now, Voltaic will eagerly await step two, leaching test work results from a clay-hosted prospect with the potential to redefine the region.
