Maronan’s high-grade concentrate hits metallurgy milestone

Maronan Metals testwork produces high-grade concentrates with top end recoveries
Results build further confidence in a project expected to reach production in 2030
Updated resource soon expected ahead of a scoping study

Special Report: Maronan Metals’ optimised metallurgy has produced high-grade silver-lead concentrates with recoveries underlining the economic value of the soft ores from its namesake project in Queensland.

Maronan Metals’ (ASX:MMA) flotation testwork produced concentrates grading above 74% lead and 2900g/t silver with respective recoveries of 95% and 91%, which the company described as outstanding.

Results were achieved with a simple grind of 100 micrometres and regrind/cleaning at 23 um on ore with a head grade of 4.4% lead and 181g/t silver.

The company said common flotation reagents like those used at nearby base metal processors performed exceptionally well, and that while there was minor elevated antimony and fluorine, work has shown fluorine can be easily reduced to what is likely beneath the penalty level.

“To be able to return such strong recovery and concentrate grade results is an excellent outcome,” Maronan managing director Richard Carlton said.

“This result is a further confidence builder in our program to better define the mine production parameters and de-risk the project.”

“Carbonate hosted silver-lead ore would form a significant proportion of any early production profile.”

Maronan is now collecting more metallurgical samples to continue its ongoing metallurgical characterisation and detailed process design for an early day silver project which Stockhead contributor Kristie Batten believes already looks the part of a mine.

Silver in first

With large scale, rich silver grades exceeding 100g/t in a favourable location, GBA Capital expects Maronan to deliver positive studies across the next year or so and reach production in 2030.

And while the golden brownfields of Western Australia have taken the spotlight of record-breaking precious metal markets, Capital Economics at least believes silver is set to outperform gold over the coming years.

The silver price is still a way off an artificially elevated $US50/oz mark hit in 1980, but growing use in fast-growing and non-cyclical sectors combined with lagging supply is predicted to push it closer.

Maronan is now looking at a soon-updated resource before releasing its scoping study, focusing on a Starter Zone which has continued to return wide intercepts of ore-grade silver.