- AVZ Minerals (AVZ) has provided updates on its Phase 2 test work program at its Manono Lithium and Tin Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo
- Phase 2 aimed to measure the extent of heavy mineral recovery and explore lithia recovery pathways for future plant expansion
- Bulk processing of 160 kilograms of concentrate recovered 60 per cent lithia with a concentrate grade of 6.1 per cent lithium oxide
- As Phase 2 metallurgical test work nears completion, AVZ will shift its focus towards heavy mineral recovery such as tin and tantalum
- AVZ’s share price is down a slight 1 per cent today with shares currently trading for 9.9 cents apiece
AVZ Minerals (AVZ) has provided updates on its Phase 2 metallurgical test work program at its Manono Lithium and Tin Project.
The Manono Project is located 500 kilometres north of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo and covers an area of 188 square kilometres.
It lies within the mid-Proterozoic Kibaran Belt which stretches for over 1000 kilometres through Katanga and into southwest Uganda.
The belt comprises of sedimentary and volcanic sequence that has been folded, metamorphosed and intruded by at least three separate phases of granite.
This Phase 2 metallurgical test work program aimed to test and confirm the two-stage flowsheet, measure the extent of heavy mineral recovery and explore lithia recovery pathways for future plant expansion.
“Our Phase 2 test work is now complete and has delivered exceptional results in terms of lithia recovery and supporting the selected DFS (definitive feasibility study) flowsheet,” Managing Director Nigel Ferguson commented.
“Furthermore, the product grade and recovery confirm both the reproducibility of testing and high degree of flexibility in attaining economic grade products,” he added.
Bulk processing of 160 kilograms of concentrate recovered more than 60 per cent lithia with a concentrate grade of 6.1 per cent lithium oxide.
Approximately three per cent of xenolithic (rock fragment) waste was purposefully added to the bulk composite feed to assess the worst case scenario, iron contamination.
Even after this inclusion iron levels expressed were well within the guidelines of two per cent at 0.72 per cent iron oxide.
As Phase 2 metallurgical test work nears completion, AVZ has shifted its focus towards heavy mineral recovery including tin and tantalum.
“Tin and tantalum recovery test work is progressing very well with some very encouraging intermediate results and we have now produced a -0.5mm gravity product ready for further dressing test work,” Nigel concluded.
AVZ’s share price is down a slight 1 per cent with shares trading for 9.9 cents apiece.