Meeka Gold Ltd (ASX:MEK) has expedited a metallurgical test program on rare earths from its projects in Western Australia and has engaged world-leading processing research body Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) for the work.
ANSTO, which has globally recognised expertise in the processing of critical and strategic metals such as rare earths, has commenced the testing.
The organisation has provided the mining and minerals processing industries with consultancy, process development and research services for more than 40 years.
Expediting test-work
MEK’s CEO Tim Davidson said: “The rare earth assays received from our 100%-owned Cascade and Circle Valley projects show shallow, broad, high-grade mineralisation across a very large area.
"We are now expediting the metallurgical test-work to understand the process for producing a commercial product.”
Metallurgical samples were received by ANSTO in New South Wales in early May and preparation and testing is underway.
Rare earth processing expertise
ANSTO has a full suite of mineralogical, chemical and hydrometallurgical facilities from laboratory through to pilot scale, which will investigate optimisation of the metallurgical process and development of a process flow sheet for the company’s rare earth projects. Results are expected in late July 2022.
Davidson said: "ANSTO is recognised globally for their expertise in rare earth processing, and we look forward to working with them to determine the optimum method for metal recovery.
"Importantly, the mineralisation contains a high level of permanent magnet metals, being neodymium-praseodymium oxides. This will ensure high demand for a commercial product potentially resulting from these projects.”
About projects
Circle Valley is in the Albany-Fraser Mobile Belt and the company is encouraged by the rare earths identified during its pursuit of gold in a prolific region that also hosts the Tropicana gold mine with 3 million ounces of past production.
Cascade is in the south of that region of WA in an area that is rapidly emerging as a highly prospective clay rare earths province and totals 2,068 square kilometres.
Results to date contain high levels of the permanent magnet metals of neodymium-praseodymium which are geopolitically critical.