Surefire Resources NL (ASX:SRN) is making progress with highly detailed work as part of a pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the 100% owned flagship Victory Bore Vanadium Project 400 kilometres from Geraldton Port in Western Australia.
As well as the PFS economic assessment, the company is assessing value-adding initiatives in novel vanadium extraction and high purity alumina (HPA) extraction potential.
Increasing demand
The company, which is advancing Victory Bore at a time of increasing global demand for vanadium in traditional steel and emerging Vanadium Redox batteries, says the PFS is on-track for completion by November this year with no issues to date.
METS Engineering has been engaged to complete the PFS following a review of metallurgical information and its previous involvement in the project area.
This company also has an unrivalled depth of metallurgical experience in the assessment of Western Australian vanadium deposits as well as the completion of PFS and feasibility studies.
Progress to date with the PFS for Victory Bore Vanadium Project.
Adding value
Surefire is undertaking a number of studies aimed at adding value to the project.
Vanadium extraction work is being conducted in parallel with the PFS with the aim to achieve the extraction of vanadium directly.
A preliminary test plan has been developed and testing is underway. If successful, this will be incorporated into the PFS.
HPA testing is also being conducted in parallel with the PFS and comprises a separate study on the potential for production of HPA from the waste and host rock at the Victory Bore Vanadium Project.
The work is being undertaken by Lava Blue Ltd with initial test-work including leaching and concentration of liquor completed.
READ: Surefire Resources to assess high-purity alumina production at Victory Bore Vanadium Project
Approaches to optimising aluminium recovery in leachate are being investigated.
Aluminium chloride hexahydrate (ACH) has been produced from the leachate and following recrystallization ACH was analysed as being 99.8% pure and contaminants were identified.
Lava Blue is now assessing contaminant control strategies and plans to produce 4N HPA samples following the next phase of test-work.
Processing options
Surefire is also assessing potential options for processing of Victory Bore concentrate in offshore locations to provide operating and market advantages, and in this regard, has engaged with several offshore proponents.
Discussions with interested parties are also taking place with regard to potential offtake.
World-class resource
The resources and exploration target of the Victory Bore Project form a robust mineral resource of world-class status.
The existing mineral resource estimate for Victory Bore.
When the existing 321 million tonnes mineral resource estimate is added to the conceptual exploration target estimate, the potential of the project is in the range of 1.003 billion to 1,511 billion tonnes at 0.2% to 0.43% V205.
Surefire is making preliminary plans for further drilling to enable measured resources to be converted into a JORC ore reserve, providing an economic foundation for advancing the project.