Caravel Minerals has flagged positive results from High Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR) test work at its copper project in WA, which confirm commercial scale assumptions supporting a 27Mtpa project with potential for future upside capacity.

The Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) update in September last year outlined the adoption of a single train design using HPGRs in the processing plant’s primary grinding circuit, replacing Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) mills originally selected in the PFS released on 12 July 2022.

Results from the two-tonne sample from the Bindi East and Hinge Zone starter pits have now confirmed the updated PFS design assumptions including required crusher performance, reduced energy usage and higher throughput rates.

HGPRs save time and money

Caravel Minerals (ASX:CVV)  says the copper and gold sector has increasingly used HPGRs to process harder and more abrasive ores, because, unlike conventional roll crushing, HPGR achieves a size reduction through inter-particle compression rather than crushing of particles between the roll surfaces.

Plus, abrasion on the roll surface is managed by replaceable studs composed of highly abrasion resistant alloys and these studs are the only consumables for operation of the HPGR and can be rapidly replaced when necessary.

This results in minimal downtime for maintenance and allows HPGR’s to operate with very high reliability.

The company will incorporate two HGPRs into the overall crushing and grinding circuit, consisting of a primary gyratory crusher, secondary cone crushers, HPGRs and ball mills.

More test work underway ahead of DFS

The project hosts a resource of 1.18 billion tonnes at 0.24% copper and 48ppm molybdenum for 2.84 million tonnes of contained copper, with the company advancing a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) this year and production targeted for 2026.

Additional tests are now underway to optimise the energy usage across the HPGR crushing ball mill grinding circuit.

Power management is an increasingly important opportunity for grid connected facilities that seek to maximise their utilisation of renewable energy and reduce exposure to short duration price peaks.

CVVs main priorities this year include securing land tenure, carrying out resource infill drilling, developing mine and site layouts, undertaking metallurgy and process test work as well as power supply studies and securing environmental permitting and approvals.

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Caravel Minerals Limited, 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.

 

Read MoreCopper

Featured Companies

You might be interested in