Globe Metals & Mining Ltd (ASX:GBE)’s chlorination refinery pilot plant to produce niobium and tantalum product samples has now been installed and hot commissioned.
The plant was designed to produce very high purity – 99.98% – (optical grade) niobium pentoxide samples which will be provided to Globe’s key offtakes for their technical assessment.
Once it has produced the oxide product, Globe will finalise its discussions with key industry offtakers — a major step forward in the development of the Kanyika Project.
The chlorination technology has a low environmental impact and low carbon footprint, which is important to Globe’s operating philosophy.
Globe CEO Paul Smith said: “We are incredibly pleased with the progress in metallurgical test work. The production of high-quality niobium concentrate for the refinery pilot plant is advancing well.
"Recovering high-quality niobium and tantalum oxides is crucial for finalising offtake agreements and the updated feasibility study. We eagerly anticipate the results of the chlorination extraction test work and the pilot plant's development and operation, which will be reported on shortly.”
Looking ahead
GBE’s next steps include extracting and separating niobium/tantalum using environmentally sustainable chlorination refining. The product samples will be provided to key offtakers as part of the offtake agreement finalisation process.
The company also plans to update the project feasibility study, which will include the in-country chlorination refinery. It will also make the decision to execute and develop Phase 1 of the project.
First run chloride products.
Read more on Proactive Investors AU
