Here's some reading.........with some quotes and thoughts (and accompanying links to original docs posted above selected extracts).........from 2015 onward.
https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20150827/pdf/430vl4c0c7bfsr.pdf"beneficiation bench scale rougher kinetic flotation tests have resulted in a stage 1 rougher
concentrate containing 19.44% REO which represents a >3 times upgrade"
https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20161123/pdf/43d3vyv84n55zv.pdf
https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20171206/pdf/43pxzy445z7rrt.pdf"This initial testwork program identified that the main rare earth host mineral was monazite
which upgraded well (concentrate grades of up to 20% REO were achieved) via flotation techniques."
"Concentrate samples were subsequently tested through an acid baking and leaching process
which is typically used on monazitic rare earth concentrates.
REO extractions of 84% were achieved without optimisation of the process".
When we consider the fact that PM8 are targeting concentrate production and electing to forego the more complex downstream refining I would say the results already presented offer a solid foundation for a good future business potential i.e I don't think there will be too many surprises re subsequent met work and refinement thereof (but that's just my thinking on the matter. I'm certainly no expert and I'm only relying on ASX announcements to obtain this info).
"They wanted to know can we supply them with an NdPr concentrate?".................."YES we can"
None of the results presented thus far would suggest that this isn't a viable option..................however, processors will certainly want to know they can extract maximum value from any concentrate they might purchase and that it is entirely amenable to industry std processing of course.
But results do suggest that processing this ore to produce a saleable concentrate (which is amenable to further third party refining) shouldn't present too many problems, after all they have already demonstrated 84% REO extractions "without optimisation" from concentrate samples......(but as always we need as much hard data and $$ figures re capex/opex as we can get, and this will be forthcoming)..........."We have asked WOOD to undertake a study on a 1.5 mtpa flotation operation producing 95,000 tonnes of NdPr concentrate for export to China".
"The proposed high‐margin NdPr concentrate export strategy
avoids the excessive capital cost of downstream processing and potentially accelerates the project into production".
I'm always on the lookout for business models that offer 'a simpler path' to revenue generation and I believe this project fits the bill, but that's just my take on this.....and as always there are various hurdles to overcome even with 'simplified projects', however it seems demand for concentrate wont be one of those problems moving forward.
Have a good weekend people.
