Future Metals NL (ASX:FME, AIM:FME) has improved its entire metallurgical processing flowsheet for the Panton Project, improving platinum group metals (PGM) recoveries to 86% through tailings leaching test work.
The company is working to improve metallurgical outcomes for the leaching of flotation tailings, reagent optimisation test work and the chromite concentrate potential for its wholly-owned Panton Project in Western Australia's Eastern Kimberley region.
“We have achieved another metallurgical breakthrough for the Panton Project, potentially creating a step-change in PGM recoveries, de-risking the flowsheet and improving project economics through leaching of flotation tails,” Future Metals managing director Jardee Kininmonth said.
“We can now expect to recover approximately 86% of PGM metals from Panton ore feed and importantly over 93% of palladium.”
De-risks flowsheet, improves economics
“Combined with our ability to consistently achieve greater than 280 g/t PGM (platinum, palladium and gold) concentrate grades, Panton compares very favourably to analogous South African PGM operations,” Kininmonth continued.
“We’re also enthused by the potential to create a significant quantity of chromite concentrate from our tailings.
“This is another critical mineral, irreplaceable in the steel-making process, and with very limited supply from Western jurisdictions.”
FME achieved greater recoveries and maintained the grade of its concentrate while also reducing reagent consumption, overall improving the flowsheet method.
The chromite concentrate opportunity from flotation tails also represents a lucrative critical mineral opportunity – prices for chromite have increased 50% over the last 12 months.
Future Metals intends to incorporate these flowsheet improvements into a scoping study for the Panton Project, targeted for completion in the fourth quarter of this year.
The project hosts a JORC resource of 129 million tonnes at 1.20 g/t PGM, 0.19% nickel, 0.04% copper and 154 parts per million (ppm) cobalt at a cut-off grade of 0.90 g/t palladium equivalent.
This translated to contained metal of 5 million ounces platinum group metals (platinum, palladium, gold), 239,000 tonnes nickel, 48,000 tonnes copper and 20,000 tonnes cobalt.