Doubleview Gold Corp (TSX-V:DBG, OTCQB:DBLVF) said it has achieved 89% scandium extraction from preliminary metallurgical extraction tests on flotation tailings of its HAT Deposit material in British Columbia.
The results are an important breakthrough, the company said, adding that the preliminary tests on flotation tailings in sulphate media at elevated temperatures demonstrated that 89% of the scandium could be extracted into solution. Higher levels of scandium extraction are anticipated with the optimization of extraction conditions.
"I am specifically proud of the metallurgical team and laboratory scientists for achieving exceptional results in the recovery of scandium, now recognized in North America as an essential mineral. Initial scandium recovery rates of 89% from flotation tailings with the anticipation of higher recoveries with optimization is extremely encouraging,” Doubleview president and CEO Farshad Shirvani said in a statement.
READ: Doubleview Gold commissions maiden resource estimate for its HAT deposit in British Columbia
"Scandium is present and has been assayed throughout the deposit and will be evaluated in upcoming resource calculations. Recovering scandium from tailings in addition to copper, cobalt and gold recovery in concentrates is significant as it potentially provides another commercially saleable product with limited additional costs. The company recently announced it commissioned a maiden resource estimate for the HAT Deposit. The addition of scandium to a polymetallic resource which includes gold, copper, cobalt, silver and PGE could distinguish the HAT Deposit as a world-class resource," he added.
Recent quantitative mineralogical investigations in relation to the deposit showed that scandium is primarily associated with rock-forming minerals such as clinopyroxene and amphiboles, the company said.
Supplementary copper flotation test work showed that 99.5% of the scandium associated with the gangue minerals reported to the flotation tailings. The scandium grade of the tailings from the flotation tests assayed 65 grams per ton, it added.
Andrew Carter, Doubleview's Qualified Person added: "The mode of occurrence of scandium in Hat Deposit mineralized material is typical and scandium responds predictably to conventional approaches to extraction, furthermore, recovery of scandium from sulphate solution is not expected to present any undue difficulty."
Laboratory test work is currently underway in which the scandium-bearing solutions will be subjected to a sequential purification process before recovery of scandium as a commercial salt. Several recovery processes have been identified to produce a range of potential scandium products, which will be further evaluated as the test work proceeds.
Doubleview Gold identifies, acquires and finances precious and base metal exploration projects in North America, particularly in British Columbia.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com