European Green Transition PLC (AIM:EGT) has produced a rich rare earth concentrate from the simple magnetic separation of material from its Olserum project in Sweden.
Following twenty flotation tests, a flowsheet to produce separate REE, apatite and magnetite concentrates has been devised using conventional and well-proven beneficiation techniques, EGT added.
Concentrate recoveries were 84.4-92.6% for light rare earth elements and 80.9-90.7% for heavy rare earth elements.
Aiden Lavelle, EGT’s chief executive, said: "This metallurgical test work on a 135kg sample of typical mineralisation from the Olserum REE Project indicates that the target REE phosphate minerals can be concentrated into a high-grade concentrate with a significant proportion of high-value and critical heavy rare earths.
“The grade of the final concentrate exceeded my expectations, and the mineralogy of the final concentrate was dominated by the target minerals with 40.25% being monazite and 24.25% being xenotime which is very favourable.
“It demonstrates that a low volume high-grade concentrate can be produced at Olserum and can potentially be processed at a 3rd party's facility, which is significantly more cost-effective than developing a bespoke processing facility.
"We believe these results further strengthen the Olserum REE project and make it an attractive Europe-based proposition, as a number of companies internationally are looking to increase REE production from monazite feedstocks and are actively seeking feedstock for new and proposed plants.
“We are now focused on our fully permitted low-cost drill programme for Olserum in the second half of 2024.”