Specialist testing has revealed the significant potential of ABx’s Deep Leads rare earths project in Tasmania.
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) performed diagnostic leach testing on a 100kg bulk sample from Deep Leads, and found very high extractions (above 70 per cent) achieved for both dysprosium and terbium, two of the most sought-after heavy rare earth elements.
These results were in line with ABx’s earlier in-house leach test results.
The extraction results were very similar at pH levels of 4.0, 4.5 and 4.7. This indicates that the Deep Leads deposit could be effectively leached at a pH above 4.0, reducing the chances of contamination by impurity elements such as aluminium and iron.
The ANSTO test results also confirm that the ABx resource has the highest ionic proportion of any clay-hosted rare earths resource in Australia.
ABx group managing director and chief executive officer Mark Cooksey described ANSTO as one of the world’s leading rare earths laboratories, making its confirmation of earlier testing an important milestone.
“Achieving such high extractions of dysprosium and terbium is particularly encouraging, as these are the most strategically valuable rare earths,” he said.
“The ability for Deep Leads to effectively be leached above pH 4.0 reduces impurities and points to lower operating costs and a cleaner process.
“With the program on track to deliver our first mixed rare earth carbonate sample later this year, we are advancing rapidly towards commercial outcomes.”