Authier Pilot Metallurgy Program Update
Brisbane, April 13, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Sayona Mining Limited (
ASX:SYA) (DMNXF:OTCMKTS) ("Sayona" or the "Company") is pleased to report the following update on the pilot plant program underway at SGS Lakefield for the Authier Lithium Project.
The Company has completed the batch and locked cycle phase of the pilot program which had the aim of establishing the optimal conditions for the continuous pilot plant program. The pilot plant operations have now commenced.
During batch and locked cycle testing, the Company has been able to achieve concentrate grades of 6% at metallurgical recoveries of 80%.
Approximately five tonnes of mineralised pegmatite will be processed through the pilot plant. The plant will operate for a minimum of 100 hours at a feed rate of 50 kilogram per hour. The pilot program involved stage-crushing the ore to -3.35mm (see Figure 1 in link below). The crushed ore then passes through a grinding mill, cyclones for de-sliming, magnetic separation for iron removal, mica and spodumene flotation (see Figure 2 and 3 in link below).
The objectives of the pilot plant program include:
- Confirm the flowsheet and process parameters for concentrate production;
- Produce engineering data for equipment sizing and plant design; and
- Generate ~500 kg of spodumene concentrate for downstream testing and marketing purposes.
The results of the pilot program are expected to be available by the end of April and will be incorporated into the Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") which will be completed during Q2 2018. On completion of the pilot program, optimisation work will continue with the objective of maximising metallurgical recoveries and de-risking the metallurgical performance of the full-scale operations.
SGS Canada Inc. has considerable experience in developing spodumene concentration flowsheets. Over the past 10 years, SGS has operated pilot plants for several North American hard rock lithium deposits.
To view figures, please visit:
http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/82RJ356F
About Elevra Lithium Limited
Elevra Lithium Limited (ASX:ELV) (NASDAQ:ELVR) is North America's largest hard-rock lithium producer with a diversified portfolio of high-quality assets across Quebec Canada, the United States, Ghana and Western Australia.
Our flagship operation, the North American Lithium (NAL) mine in Quebec, Canada has successfully ramped up production of spodumene concentrate, supported by ongoing operational enhancements to increase recovery rates, throughput, and mill utilisation. Following a Mineral Resource upgrade, Elevra completed a Scoping Study for a brownfield expansion to increase NAL's annual spodumene concentrate production and reduce unit operating costs.
Complementing NAL, the Moblan Lithium Project in northern Quebec represents one of the largest undeveloped spodumene resources in North America, with a Mineral Resource of 121 Mt @ 1.19% Li2O.
Development activities are progressing with feasibility studies targeting a large-scale, long-life operation capable of supplying both domestic and international markets.
In Western Australia, Elevra holds an extensive portfolio of lithium and gold tenements, where exploration programs are advancing to unlock additional growth opportunities. Meanwhile, in the United States, our Carolina Lithium Project offers a strategic foothold in the downstream lithium chemicals market and our project in Ghana provides a further option for future growth.
Looking ahead, Elevra is focused on strategic downstream partnerships to enable further value-added lithium production, positioning the Company to deliver a secure, sustainable supply of critical minerals to global customers. Together, these assets establish Elevra as a growth-focused supplier supporting the global energy transition.
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