Blackstone Minerals Ltd (ASX:BSX, OTCQX:BLSTF) has notched up a key achievement with underground mining activities recommencing at its 90%-owned Ta Khoa Nickel Project in northern Vietnam.
Using a combination of Australian and Vietnamese mining professionals and operators, Blackstone plans to complete around 1,000 metres of development through the Ban Phuc disseminated orebody generating nickel ore representative of the life of mine plant feed.
It also plans to recommission the Ban Phuc Nickel Concentrator to produce two batches of nickel concentrate for use in the Ta Khao Refinery piloting programs.
Blackstone is also targeting to deliver the first batch of concentrate to Perth for treatment by ALS Laboratories in the first phase piloting program.
The company will also process and store the second batch for use in the second phase pilot plant, which will be built in Son La in 2022.
Important milestone
Blackstone’s managing director Scott Williamson said: “The recommencement of mining activity is an important milestone for the company, and the speed at which approvals were secured is a testament to the expertise and relationships our team has on the ground in Vietnam.
“The mining program will provide significant quantities of disseminated ore, which will be processed at the existing Ban Phuc Nickel Concentrator and subsequent pilot plants.
Sustainable mining
Williamson continued: “The opportunity to treat this quantity of ore derisks both the upstream and downstream business unit development strategies.
“Blackstone is committed to sustainable mining and looks forward to producing meaningful quantities of NCM Precursor from piloting in Vietnam, in parallel with our engagement and collaboration with potential partners and customers for our vertically integrated development strategy.”
Mining program
In December 2021, Blackstone was granted approval to recommence mining activities as part of its ongoing development of the Ta Khao Project.
Ban Phuc Nickel concentrator
Ore produced from the mining program will be processed through the existing 450,000 tonnes per annum Ban Phuc concentrator.
Blackstone has finalised studies to temporarily de-rate the existing plants capacity to suit the requirements of the pilot programs.
The crushing circuit was recommissioned in November 2021, with ore commissioning planned for the mill and flotation circuit in January 2022.
Disseminated ore will be treated in multiple campaigns:
➢ The first parcel of ore will be treated in a semi-batch manner. Around 10 tonnes of 8% nickel concentrate will be shipped to ALS in Perth for use in the phase 1 piloting program;
➢ Then, several larger campaigns will be used to test the milling and flotation performance of the Ban Phuc disseminated sulphide, and generate nickel concentrate for further large-scale piloting use. This concentrate will be bagged and stored in containers for treatment through the Phase 2 Pilot Plant in Vietnam; and
➢ Blackstone has also purchased an upstream pilot plant capable of treating 250 kilograms per hour. During the main campaigns, Blackstone will also run multiple trials through this pilot facility to optimise flotation parameters for the definitive feasibility study (DFS), as well as testing pilot versions of key process equipment.
Pilot Plant Phase 2
Blackstone is in early discussions with EPCM contractors for development of the Phase 2 pilot plant.
The plant will be built to a 1:25 scale version of a single Ta Khoa Refinery train and will process 1 tonne per hour of concentrate.
It will be used to generate commercial quantities of NCM for alignment with customer specifications and for further de-risking of the commercial plant development plan.