Posts

Red Metal Confirms Sybella REO Resource Potential

/in , /by

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Red Metal (ASX: RDM) reported confirmation of large tonnage potential at the company’s Sybella rare earth oxide (REO) discovery near Mt Isa.

Red Metal based its report on assay results from step-out drilling carried out over an eight kilometre by three kilometre portion of the rare earth enriched Sybella granite.

The company indicated infill drilling of the higher-grade zones was now a priority.

Red Metal said the assays reveal multiple, long intercepts of magnet rare earth oxide (MREO) mineralisation (neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium) with many starting at surface and ending in mineralisation.

Two wide parallel zones of significant strike length have been outlined with mineralisation from surface grading between 340-400ppm MREO.

Both zones can confidently be extended beyond 120 metres in depth.

The Eastern Zone extends for over 4.8 kilometres along strike and is up to 1.5km wide covering an interpreted surface area of at least 3.6 square kilometres and appears to remain open to the southeast.

The parallel Western Zone is 7.2km long and varies from about 400m to over 1.6km wide over an interpreted surface area of about 7.6sqkm.

“Step-out drilling has successfully confirmed Sybella’s vast size potential and most importantly, it has shown opportunity for wide shallow zones of higher-grade mineralisation where potential starter pits could be initiated,” Red Metal managing director Rob Rutherford said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“This drilling together with our positive early-stage metallurgical test work has enhanced the potential for a bulk tonnage heap leach opportunity at Sybella.

“Preparations for infill drilling this season are underway and we look forward to announcing results from more detailed assessments on this exciting new drill data in the months ahead.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

 

Red Metal Produces Maiden Trial MREC Product From Sybella REO Ore

/in , /by

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Red Metal (ASX: RDM) completed a proof-of-concept impurity removal trial on ore from the company’s Sybella rare earth project near Mt Isa.

Red Metal declared the results of its first proof-of-concept impurity removal trial on the Sybella rare earth ore has resulted in a potentially saleable mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) product.

The MREC product comprised 48.7 per cent total rare earth oxides (TREO), of which the percentage of magnet rare earths (neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium oxides) was 39.5 per cent.

The company explained the result to be well above that of other REO projects expecting it should result in higher payability based on industry pricing mechanisms.

Red Metals’ first-pass MREC precipitation achieved high downstream recoveries of 93% neodymium, 94% praseodymium, 93% dysprosium and 93% terbium.

“Impurity removal and precipitation of a saleable product with minimal REO loss is an important hurdle to clear for both the Granite-Hosted Sybella and Ionic Clay-Hosted deposit types,” Red Metals managing director Rob Rutherford said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“As such, success with our first impurity removal attempt is a major step forward for the Sybella REO discovery as it shows the essential indicators are in place to cost effectively produce a quality MREC product.

“The company is very confident that our ongoing studies will confirm a process route that optimises REO recovery (increases revenue) while reducing the acid consumption rate and ensuring that impurities in the final product are satisfactorily minimised (lowering processing costs).

“Success with the studies would give confidence that a premium MREC product could be delivered with low operating costs.

“We look forward to announcing assay results from the over 8000 metres of step-out drilling recently completed across a 24 square kilometres area of the mineralised granite.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Red Metal Buoyed by Sybella REO Phase 2 Metallurgy

/in , /by

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Red Metal (ASX: RDM) completed a second phase of leach and comminution studies testing mineralisation from the company’s Sybella rare earth oxide (REO) discovery near Mount Isa in Northwest Queensland.

Red Metal explained the testing to be part of the company’s strategy of finding the most economically effective way to process the project ores, which have unique metallurgical properties.

The company reported that leach and comminution results achieved from the latest studies had increased its confidence that a low-cost, low-capital, heap leach processing option may prove feasible and outlined key leach parameters for more detailed investigation.

Results confirm strong REO extractions can be achieved using low levels of ambient temperature sulphuric acid on coarse fractions of both weathered and fresh granite over increased residence times.

The leach results to date combined with the comminution studies support the concept of REO extraction using low-cost bulk open-pit mining, simple coarse gyratory, jaw and/or cone crushing and heap leach processing using low levels of sulphuric acid.

“Interim results from the second phase of leach test work and comminution studies have confirmed Red Metal’s initial hypothesis that the Sybella granite-hosted REO mineralisation can be coarsely crushed and leached under weak acid conditions in a manner suitable for low-cost, low-capital heap leach processing,” Red Metal managing director Rob Rutherford said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Impurity removal trials are progressing with early indications showing residual contaminants from the Pregnant Leach Solution may be successfully removed, potentially resulting in a premium mix rare earth carbonate (MREC) product.

“Results from these tests are expected shortly. The Company has reasonable expectation that our ongoing studies will confirm a process route that optimises REO recovery (increases revenue) but reduces the acid consumption rate and ensures that impurities in the final product can be satisfactorily minimised (lowering processing costs).

“It is also now working rapidly towards outlining ore resources.”

 

Red Metal managing director Rob Rutherford at RIU Sydney Resources Round-up

 

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMNT: CLICK HERE