Western Magnesium Corp. (TSX-V:WMG, OTCQB:MLYF) told investors that testing at its commercial pilot plant has given it more confidence as it progresses to full commercial-scale production.
In a technical update, the company said that since the success of the initial optimization runs that produced 99.84% magnesium metal, it identified and completed a number of technical upgrades to the commercial pilot plant setting the stage for the continuous production phase. These custom and proprietary improvements will increase reliability as it progresses forward, it said.
During this period, and due to the sensitive nature of the work, Western Magnesium said its Technical Team, led by chief technology officer Paul Sauve, completed the upgrades. These proprietary upgrades have increased the vast technical knowledge of the Technical Team and will provide irreplaceable experience for the future commercial plant, it added.
READ: Western Magnesium sees its commercial pilot plant move into continuous metal production phase
The company said the equipment and process software, which is proprietary to Western Magnesium, continues to excel throughout the commercial pilot plant operation.
"During the testing period, the Technical Team continues to be impressed with the proprietary equipment and software that has been developed,” Sauve said in a statement. “This gives us greater confidence and insight as we work with our engineering firms in planning the build-out of the larger commercial facility.”
The company noted that the value of its technical and software upgrades gives it the ability to have a full-package solution for the licensing of our technology in the near future. Its proprietary technology is a one-stop solution for providing a green critical metal locally and globally, it added.
“The proprietary technology and software, which has been built specifically for our green process, is truly one of a kind,” Western Magnesium executive chairman Ed Lee said. “Our technology represents America’s best chance at bringing production of the much sought-after magnesium metal, which has been identified as a critical metal by both industry and government, back to the United States.”
Western Magnesium's goal is to be a low-cost producer of green, primary magnesium metal, a strategic commodity prized for its strength and lightweight. Unlike outdated and costly production processes, the company looks to use a continuous silicothermic process to produce magnesium, which significantly reduces labor and energy costs relative to current methods and processes, while being environmentally friendly.
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