en.Wedoany.com Reported - The company (ASX: VTM) announced significant results from metallurgical leaching tests on flotation concentrate from its wholly-owned North Stanmore heavy rare earth project in Western Australia, marking an important advancement in both process technology and economics. Based on concentrate produced from the company's flotation campaign, the tests increased the total rare earth oxide content by 48 times, from 5.9%, while approximately 95% of the feed mass was rejected as tailings.
Under conditions of low acid consumption and standard atmospheric stirred tank leaching, the process achieved recovery rates of 70.9% for dysprosium, 70.2% for terbium, and 75.1% for yttrium. This rare earth processing method differs from traditional approaches, eliminating the need for high-temperature acid cracking and high sulfuric acid consumption. By avoiding the acid cracking circuit, the company estimates capital expenditure savings of approximately $1 billion, a figure calculated based on the requirements of industry peers.
CEO Brendan Clark highlighted the uniqueness of the North Stanmore concentrate, stating, "There is nothing like it in the Western world, so we expect demand to be high. The fact that we can separate these valuable elements without relying on high temperatures and high acid consumption gives us a significant advantage over our peers. Our product can be shipped as general cargo and contains significant quantities of the important rare earths needed in the Western world: dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium. Our plan is to develop a simple, low-cost flotation circuit and sell the concentrate directly to the Western market."
The company is focused on exploring and developing its flagship North Stanmore project in the Cue region of Western Australia and plans to bring its heavy rare earth concentrate to the global market. This progress is expected to introduce a new technological pathway in the field of rare earth processing.
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