Perpetual Resources Ltd (ASX:PEC) has received program of works (PoW) approval from the WA Government Department of Mines, Industry, Regulation and Safety (DMIRS), for its upcoming white sand only drill program at the Beharra project, 300 kilometres north of Perth in Western Australia.
Planning for this third stage aircore drilling program has been completed and a drilling contractor has been appointed to begin drilling early next month.
The aim of the program is to define a white sand only resource and reserve covering the first ten years of mine life at the project.
Feasibility work to begin this year
Managing director Robert Benussi said receiving the required drilling approval in such a rapid fashion was pleasing as it allowed the company to move quickly to mobilise a suitable drill rig for a defining drill program.
He said: “This upcoming program is targeting the white sand horizon at Beharra and is aiming to delineate a reserve classification for the first 10 years of mine life.
“It will also generate enough white sand samples to complete the planned 2-tonnes representative bulk sample metallurgical test program, which will aid in our confirmation of final product specification at Beharra.
“We will move into the feasibility study later this year.
“The metallurgical program will also generate significant white sand only end-product for marketing samples and offtake discussions.
“All current offtake discussions will be focused on receipt of these samples due to their extremely low iron content and therefore much higher demand profile”.
Upcoming drill program
Perpetual has finalised an 86-hole aircore drill program, which has been designed by Snowden Mining Consultants, to begin in early June and has contracted Hornet Drilling Pty Ltd to undertake the drill program, which is expected to take around four to five days to complete.
It has also commissioned specialist sand testing laboratory IHC Robbins to undertake the 2-tonne representative bulk metallurgical program on white sand samples recovered from the upcoming drill program.
The purpose of the upcoming IHC Robbins testing program is to validate impurity levels from a wider white sand composite sample (as opposed to the initial 300 kilogram sample from one location).
IHC Robbins will look to define a flowsheet, which is replicable under a full production scenario.
Perpetual is optimistic that the previous test results will be broadly replicated, as the location for the previous 300-kilogram sample was chosen due to it matching the average head grade of the defined ore reserve and mineral resource estimate.
Based on current timelines, results from this testing program are due in the third quarter of 2021.
Beharra feasibility study
Planning is underway for the start of the Beharra feasibility study (FS), which will be informed by the white sand testing program by IHC Robbins.
Several study packages are being scoped out with a view to begin in the coming weeks.
A timeline for delivery of this FS will be provided in August, once end product quality is confirmed by IHC Robbins.
Minor delays to previously reported timelines are likely because of the white sand test results which require additional drilling and analysis prior to formal FS study commencement.
In addition to planning for the Beharra FS, Perpetual is also exploring options to undertake an update to the previously announced pre-feasibility study (PFS).
Perpetual will update shareholders on both the PFS and FS activities over the coming months.