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- Australian Vanadium (AVL) has announced roast and leach testing has achieved exceptional vanadium extraction during bench scale testing
- The company achieved an average extraction of 93.3 per cent which is an eight per cent improvement from the pre-feasibility study basis
- A downstream hydrometallurgical pilot program is underway to finalise AVL’s processing flowsheet
- Australian Vanadium will continue to improve processing techniques as it moves to deliver its namesake project in WA
- Company shares are up 11.1 per cent and are trading for 1 cent each
Australian Vanadium (AVL) has announced roast and leach testing has confirmed exceptional vanadium extraction has been achieved during bench scale testing.
The test work is being undertaken at the Metso pyrometallurgical testing facilities in the U.S.
Despite COVID-19 causing minor timeline disruptions, the lab has slowly returned close to full capacity and AVL’s program is scheduled to be completed in September this year.
The company’s pre-feasibility vanadium roast leach extraction was 84.3 per cent, based on bench scale test work for a standard flowsheet.
However, in the most recent optimised pilot scale testing of a grate kiln flowsheet has achieved an average of 93.3 per cent leach extraction. After allowing a scale-up, this has delivered an eight per cent improvement on the basis applied in the pre-feasibility study.
“The improvements in vanadium extraction that have now been demonstrated by AVL’s high quality pilot work are expected to flow through to the overall process recovery and therefore project revenue,” Managing Director, Vincent Algar said.
The test outcomes relate to the processing of concentrate designed to represent the average first five years of forecasted production. The tests build on previous bench scale test results where 587 kilograms of concentrate was roasted.
With the optimised roasting conditions now understood, the final bulk production phase of the pyrometallurgical test work will be executed.
A downstream hydrometallurgical pilot program is underway to finalise the company’s processing flowsheet.
Ultimately, AVL’s goal is to position itself above its competitors to allow it to achieve funding and sustainable operations at its Australian Vanadium Project near Meekatharra in Western Australia.
Company shares are up 11.1 per cent and are trading for 1 cent each at 3:26 pm AEST.
