MREO focused metallurgical test-work underway by ANSTO for Castillo Copper

Highlights:

• Specialist consultant, ANSTO, has been appointed to undertake comprehensive metallurgical test-work on six samples from Fence Gossan, Reefs and Tors Tanks Prospects (BHA Project’s East Zone) to understand the potential to extract Rare Earth Elements (REE) from shallow clay zones; results should take 8 – 10 weeks.
• The scope of work will focus on characterising REE leachability from the six samples which comprise fresh pegmatite to highly weathered clay, especially with Magnetic Rare Earth Oxide (MREO) grades ranging from 362 – 603 ppm.
• This is an important step towards advancing the viability of the BHA Project’s East Zone REE potential and securing interest from prospective development partners, especially given the extent of high-value MREO (Nd+Pr+Dy+Tb) within the system.
• To recap, the best RC and diamond core assay result intercepts from Tors Tank and Fence Gossan – across the shallow, clay-hosted, REE system – were:
- 13 m @ 1550 ppm Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO) from 5 m; 38.9% MREO (TT_005DD) of the TREO grade vs 25% peer average.

- 17 m @ 1605 ppm TREO from 2 m; 28.6% MREO & 1 m @ 3236 TREO from 19 m; 28.9% MREO (FG_003RC).

- 10 m @ 1013ppm TREO from 49 m; 24.7% MREO (FG_001RC).

- 6 m @ 1480ppm TREO from 7 m; 28.9% MREO (FG_004RC).

- 5 m @ 1598ppm TREO from 14 m; 29.1% MREO (TT_002RC).

• Meanwhile, work on the Big One Deposit optimisation study and updating the Cangai Copper Mine Mineral Resource Estimate is progressing on schedule.

Ged Hall, Chairman of Castillo Copper, said: “The Board is delighted ANSTO is conducting specialist metallurgical test-work on samples from the BHA Project’s East Zone. Understanding the potential to extract REE mineralisation, especially MREOs, will greatly assist in our efforts to align with a future development partner. Pleasingly, the work done to date clearly confirms there is an extensive shallow REE system across the central part of the BHA Project’s East Zone.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/17042023/mreo-focused-metallurgical-test-work-underway-by-ansto-for-castillo-copper/