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Cobalt Blue (ASX:COB) advances demonstration plant commissioning at Broken Hill, NSW

ASX News, Mining
ASX:COB      MCAP $37.53M
12 May 2022 10:51 (AEST)

Pyrite Hill decline heading as shown currently developing through unmineralised waste material in the hanging wall of the deposit with mineralisation expected to be intersected during May. Source: Cobalt Blue (COB)

Cobalt Blue (COB) has progressed in its demonstration plant commissioning at the Pyrite Hill area of its Broken Hill cobalt project in New South Wales.

The company has established general site amenities to support sustained on-site activities at Pyrite Hill, while the commissioning of milling and concentrator equipment at Broken Hill is nearing completion.

Meanwhile, the construction and installation of key equipment at the Pyrite Hill site are progressing as scheduled.

Cobalt Blue said a gravity concentrator circuit — including gravity spirals — had been installed at Pyrite Hill in readiness for the commencement of ore processing with the multi-stage crushing plant scheduled for mobilisation in May.

All this means the company is getting close to kicking off the bulk sample extraction of between 3500 and 4000 tonnes of ore from Pyrite Hill.

CEO Joe Kaderavek said he anticipated the demonstration plant would deliver over 3000 kilograms of cobalt products from June to November this year.

“In parallel, we have received better-than-expected demand for larger-scale samples globally,” he said.

In the lead up to the start of bulk sample extraction, Cobalt Blue said the excavation of the box cut had been completed and the development of the decline was well advanced.

A total of 160 metres of development is expected to be completed for the realisation of the targeted tonnage.

The company said ore extraction would begin shortly, with crushing, milling and concentration operations to begin thereafter.

Cobalt Blue added that it had commenced key meetings with battery and electric vehicle makers in the US, Korea and EU following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Cobalt Blue shares were down 3.26 per cent to 89 cents each at 10:27 am AEST.

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