Perpetual Resources Ltd (ASX:PEC) has begun representative metallurgical test work on 86 air core white sand drilling samples at the Beharra Project, south of the town of Geraldton in Western Australia.
The testing is being conducted by IHC Robbins in Brisbane ahead of an 8-10 weeks analytical program, with first stage results expected around mid-September, and final program and results anticipated for October.
“Pivotal milestone”
Perpetual managing director Robert Benussi said: “The white sand only bulk representative metallurgical testing program for Beharra has potential to be a pivotal milestone for Perpetual, with the aim of proving that a low iron silica sand product can be produced at scale from the Beharra orebody.
“We anticipate strong results from this round of testing, hoping to approximate the prior laboratory testing undertaken and if successful, we will likely see significant increased interest in Beharra end product with positive implications for revenue per ton and project economics at Beharra.”
The current bulk program, using a representative sample from the planned first ten years of operations, aims to confirm the previously announced white sand only laboratory test results utilising production scale equipment, indicative of what the Beharra project can produce once in production.
Composite sample preparation will begin shortly ahead of detailed flow sheet testing.
Looking ahead
Once the bulk program has been completed, Perpetual will then be in receipt of significant volumes (circa 1,500kg) of end product samples, which are eagerly awaited by numerous existing and potential offtake partners who have expressed significant interest in a low Fe2O3 silica sand product from Beharra.
All existing and potential offtake discussions are now pending the shipment by Perpetual of these low Fe2O3 Bulk Program samples.
Potential end customers will then undertake analysis of Beharra white sand end product in their own laboratories and production facilities, after which offtake discussions can be substantially progressed, allowing greater certainty on ultimate offtake demand and product pricing for the lower impurity Beharra silica sand.
Results will be incorporated into the upcoming pre-feasibility study (PFS) update, which, pending a successful outcome, will contemplate a white sand only mining and processing scenario which has significant potential to enhance project economics through possible higher pricing for Beharra silica sand products.