Blencowe Resources PLC (LSE:BRES) said it has completed metallurgical test work on substantially up-scaled quantities of composite mix from its Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda.
The results continue to demonstrate that a high-grade, low-impurity concentrate can be delivered from Orom-Cross. It also provides a significantly greater quantum of end-product for end-user testing which is critical for the definitive feasibility study.
Test work covered both the Northern Syncline and Camp lode areas within Orom-Cross.
The program was designed to confirm that production of a 95-97% total graphite content pure concentrate is possible with low impurities, and to confirm that around a 90% recovery rate is achievable for this concentrate. It was undertaken by consultants IMO.
All objectives were met or exceeded in this latest round of test work. Open cycle floatation testing produced recoveries between 90-92% and concentrate grades consistently range between 95-98% which are battery grades.
The additional metallurgical test work was commissioned to test the upgradeability of the bench scale test work completed by SGS in Lakefield.
A total of 1,400kg was processed, as compared to 100kg in the SGS test work. All metallurgical test work undertaken to date shows a robust flowsheet capable of repeatable metallurgy for a wide range of feed samples from Orom-Cross.
Test work was not geared towards optimising the flake size fractions. As the resultant splits using an unoptimised circuit are within 5% of the fractions as determined by the original SGS bench scale works there may be further incremental value to be added by optimising ahead.
The key takeaway from these results is that the scaling factors in the metallurgical testing will likely replicate the original test work and results through to commercial-scale production. the company said.
"We are delighted with these IMO met test results as they not only continue to underpin Orom-Cross concentrate as high quality in all key areas relevant to end users,” commented Blencowe executive chairman Cameron Pearce in a statement.
“The test work has highlighted that we can now deliver these end results on a much greater scale of raw material as processed. This is a key step towards commercial stage production testing in a pilot plant facility. It also highlights the potential to increase the percentage of the more valuable coarse flake products through further optimisation of the processing circuits and this will be considered in the next round of testing,” he added.
This latest set of results sets the company up nicely for the bulk sample trial that it will be conducting on 100 tonnes of Orom-Cross composite in the first half of 2023.