DEVELOPMENT OF THE OWENDALE LATERITE PROJECT IN CENTRAL NEW SOUTH WALES

摘要

Platina Resources Limited (Platina) is undertaking feasibility studies for the development of the Owendale laterite project, located 350 km west of Sydney in central New South Wales. The project is one of the world's highest scandium grade laterite deposits, and has the potential to become Australia's first scandium producer with cobalt, platinum and nickel credits. Platinum is chiefly present as isoferroplatinum originating from dunite and wehrlite intrusives. An additional high revenue by product is under consideration to overcome the hurdle other prospective scandium producers have encountered in securing product offtake agreements to justify project funding.A total Mineral Resource of 27.9 Mt grading 385 ppm scandium for a total in-situ content of 16,500 tonnes of scandium oxide has been reported at a cut-off of 300 ppm scandium. There is also a significant overlapping cobalt Mineral Resource of 9.0 Mt, grading 0.15% cobalt and 335 ppm scandium reported at a cut-off of 0.1% cobalt. Several acid leaching processes have been evaluated via laboratory testwork and METSIM? process modelling, with plant scale, location and logistics also considered during process selection. A Pre-Feasibility Study has been commenced to evaluate the preferred plant configuration. This paper reports on the Mineral Resource, the process development activities to date, the selection of plant capacity and configuration for the Pre-Feasibility Study, and the competitive advantages of the Owendale project.