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Impact Minerals (ASX: IPT) has identified an additional development pathway at the Lake Hope project, with metallurgical test work confirming the potential to produce sulphate of potash fertiliser and hydrochloric acid.
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The results have supported the development of a potential second project alongside Lake Hope High Purity Alumina in Western Australia’s goldfields.
Impact’s tests have confirmed high recoveries of sulphate (>94%) from salt calcination of lake clays, along with strong chlorine extraction (>98%), which can be captured to produce the high-value potash and hydrochloric acid.
MD, Dr Mike Jones, said the work has identified a development which does not rely on evaporation ponds, overcoming the major technical issues that impacted earlier Australian sulphate of potash (SOP) projects.
“We have found an additional way to create significant economic value from Western Australia’s fascinating lake systems,” he said.
“While our main focus remains on HPA development, we now see a potential route to produce sulphate of potash and hydrochloric acid as primary products through a relatively straightforward processing method.”
Dr Joens continued: “Although still in the early stages, the breakthrough results, particularly for acid production, indicate this approach could be a practical alternative to traditional potash methods and help fill a noticeable supply gap for both fertiliser and industrial acid in Western Australia.”
Impact has moved quickly to secure all lakes containing the right minerals in an area around Salmon Gums, which has been identified as a strategic location for a facility to supply potash as fertiliser to the farming regions of WA.
The company is also investigating the potential to supply hydrochloric acid for the mining industry, including the clay- hosted rare earth element developers in the area.
“A scoping study, including potash resource definition from previous drilling, is ongoing to evaluate the technical and commercial viability of this opportunity alongside the existing Lake Hope HPA project,” Dr Jones said.
IPT is down -4.92%, to 5.8c. Market cap has been at $28.46 million.
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