Aston Minerals ships Bardwell core to Corem Laboratories for metallurgical testwork

Aston Minerals Limited is providing an update on its continued metallurgical flowsheet development program which commenced in Q3 2023.

The 2023/24 metallurgical test work program was led by Khalil Nasrallah (Corem) and Greg Lane (Ausenco), both of whom have previous experience on the Dumont and Crawford nickel projects. The Aston Minerals metallurgical program has been designed based on experience from nickel ore bodies with similar mineralogy and grade. Initial open circuit and locked cycle flotation and magnetic separation testwork on a range of composite samples from Bardwell and B2 Zones has confirmed preliminary drivers of metallurgical performance and provides direction for sample selection and metallurgical testwork on the Bardwell deposit samples based on the recently reported resource update.
 
Managing Director, Russell Bradford, said: “The recently updated mineral resource estimation has provided us with the basis for evaluating specific metallurgical domains based on the respective levels of nickel and sulphur.

“With the flowsheet we announced on 29 April 2024, we can now independently evaluate each metallurgical domain based on various sulphur and nickel grades and measure the performance using rougher evaluation and locked cycle tests. Recently completed locked cycle test results have shown the conventional flowsheet shows a robust recovery is achievable at a high nickel concentrate grade.

“Strongly encouraged by the mineral resource update, metallurgical testwork and inbound engagement, I have elected to move to Toronto. This will allow me to be exposed to all relevant developments in the Canadian EV space and automotive industry, continue to build upon our solid engagement with First Nations, and liaise with government and local departments as the Project progresses through its development phases. We have noted significant inbound interest in our Project and that of our peers with Canadian nickel assets. Recent investments made into Canadian nickel projects include Samsung’s US$18.5m equity deal as well as a flow-through investment deal of $34.7m by one of Canada’s largest gold producers Agnico Eagle into Canada Nickel, a dunite hosted nickel sulphide project located in the nickel district of Timmins, Ontario, and FPX Nickel’s $14.4m equity deal from Sumitomo metals and mining and a $16m equity deal into the same project by Outokumpu.”

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