Victory Metals Limited has received initial leach test results from metallurgical test work on samples from the North Stanmore REE Project, located approximately 10km north from the town of Cue, Western Australia and bordered to the east by the Great Northern Highway.
The maiden metallurgical results were received from a total of six representative samples collected from across the project with results confirming exceptional HREE leachability at North Stanmore.
Positive extraction of HREE was the focus over LREE from this maiden metallurgical study, with significant recoveries reported of up to 63.6% Lu, 60% Dy and 58% Tb, being critical and very valuable REE.
There is potential to increase these recoveries with further metallurgical testing and possibly including upgrading ore material prior to leaching.
The high recoveries were achieved economically by leaching using low-cost combined ammonia sulphate (NH4)2SO4 and weak sulphuric acid H₂SO₄, at 50°C and low leach times.
Victory’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Brendan Clark said this is an instrumental moment for Victory and provides confirmation that the company’s North Stanmore Rare Earth discovery has significantly recovered REE and more importantly high levels of recoverable Dy and Tb.
“Rare Earth Element projects across Australia and the world are diverse with emerging opportunities in an ever-changing market.”
“It is important for the market to fully understand the Rare Earth Element sector and that’s why Victory’s technical team ensures that complete REE assay data is reported to facilitate analysts and investors in making informed investment decisions.”
“It is also crucial to understand that not all REE’s are “rare” like La and Ce which have a low current combined value of approximately US$3.34 per kg (REO).”
“REE recoveries can be complex and once the metals are recovered gangue materials like Iron (Fe) and Aluminium (Al) are also recovered in the process and can be costly to remove and in some cases make projects uneconomic. Victory is delighted to confirm that its initial metallurgical recoveries confirm low ratios of these gangue metals.”
“It is also important to understand that extended leaching times results in larger processing plants to achieve the same result as the recovery process requires less leaching time.
