Auroch has completed metallurgical testwork on the high-grade shallow mineralisation south of the historic Nepean mine at its Nepean Nickel Project in WA – and the results are looking good.

All samples responded well to conventional flotation beneficiation with nickel recoveries between 85% to 97%.

Saleable concentrate grades in excess of 13% Ni were achieved for all three composite samples, and all samples also demonstrated minor non-sulphide nickel (NSNi) present.

The company says the results are encouraging and further work would be expected to improve upon current results – especially with respect to Fe:MgO ratios of the final nickel concentrates produced.

Scoping study and mineral resource estimate in the works

The positive results from the test work are an important milestone for the Nepean Scoping Study, which is looking into the economic viability of a potential open-pit mining scenario.

“We knew we have very shallow, high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation at Nepean that may potentially be extracted in an open-pit mining scenario, but because of the oxidation of the mineralisation being so close to surface, we were unsure if we would be able to produce a saleable grade nickel sulphide concentrate,” Auroch Minerals (ASX:AOU) MD Aidan Platel said.

“The results are extremely encouraging and show that this shallow nickel sulphide mineralisation will indeed produce a saleable grade nickel concentrate, and furthermore that the nickel recoveries are more than acceptable.

“As such, the results justify continuing work on the Nepean Scoping Study, and the company will now commence work on updating the MRE for the shallow portion of the known nickel sulphide mineralisation at Nepean so that we can then begin work on mine designs and optimisation work on potential open-pit mining scenarios.”

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Auroch Minerals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

 

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.