Latin’s successful lithium test work points to promising numbers for Colina

Processing of spodumene sourced from Latin Resources’ Colina prospect is looking to be straightforward and commercially viable if initial test work is anything to go by.

First pass sighter metallurgical test work achieved a high recovery of 78.72% Li2O into an extremely high-grade up to 6.57% Li2O concentrate through simple Heavy Liquid Separation.

The ability to achieve such high recoveries using an uncomplicated liberation process at a relatively coarse crush eliminates the need for complex and costly floatation processing to produce a very high-quality, industry standard concentrate.

Importantly for Latin Resources (ASX:LRS), this could substantially reduce both capital costs and ongoing operational costs which could grant the Salinas project in Brazil very attractive economics.

Exciting times

“These are extremely promising first pass results from our sighter metallurgical test work program,” executive director Chris Gale said.

“We are seeing lithium recovery rates and concentrate grades from simple HLS processing that are well above industry standards. This points to strong potential for production of a premium lithium product and therefore premium pricing for our product.

“While it is still early days, and more test work needs to be completed, the apparent ease of liberation of our spodumene producing such a high lithium concentrate may have significant positive implications for our Salinas Project.

“This may well mean we will not require the more complex and costly floatation processing to achieve a very high-quality concentrate.”

He added that additional sighter test work will be carried out in the coming weeks to further explore the optimal crush size, and additional HLS cut points in order to optimise the larger test work flowsheet – using a 500kg sample – for the planned detailed PEA program which is planned to be completed by SGS Geological Services in the first quarter next year.

Colina prospect

Latin is currently carrying out diamond drilling to establish a JORC resource that will feed into feasibility studies.

Recent results from this drilling includes 20.4m grading 0.97% Li2O from 120.6m and 20.09m at 1.35% Li2O.

The company has also intersected a new swarm of pegmatites at the Colina West prospect about 500m west of Colina while regional mapping has highlighted a third outcropping pegmatite system 1km further west of the new Colina West discovery hole.

This article was developed in collaboration with Latin Resources, 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.