QEM (ASX:QEM) commissions pilot plant

• QEM (QEM) commissions its vanadium and oil shale pilot plant, with the plant scheduled to be operational for up to six months
• The company conducted commissioning test works last month, with full-scale advanced testing now underway
• Its main focus is to extract vanadium and oil shale, but it will also integrate metallurgy work to investigate the potential of high-purity alumina extraction (HPA)
• Shares are trading 7.32 per cent higher at 22 cents at market close

QEM (QEM) has commissioned its vanadium and oil shale pilot plant, with the plant scheduled to be operational for up to six months.

The company conducted commissioning test works last month, with full-scale advanced testing now underway.

Its main focus is to extract vanadium and oil shale, but it will also integrate metallurgy work to investigate the potential of high-purity alumina extraction (HPA).

This could be advantageous to the company, as HPA is listed as a critical mineral in Australia and a material volume of aluminium was identified at the company’s Julia creek project.

Managing Director Gavin Loyden said this is a milestone for the company.

“Crucially, the potential HPA upside recently identified will be incorporated into our original bench scale test work program schedule cost-effectively and without timing delays to the core of our program,” he said.

Shares were trading 7.32 per cent higher at 22 cents at market close.