Viking Mines (ASX: VKA) reports vanadium recoveries exceeding 99% from Canegrass metallurgical testwork

Highlights

• Viking Mines Ltd (ASX:VKA) has received exceptional vanadium recoveries up to 99.3% from initial sighter testwork on samples within its flagship Canegrass Battery Minerals Project.
• The testwork also confirmed the opportunity to extract Copper, Nickel and Cobalt via a sulphide concentrate in the flow sheet.
• Up to 62.7% Iron in concentrate indicates potential to produce a magnetite concentrate from the Project for direct shipping opportunity
• The key next steps for the Company include asses drilling results from the recently completed 7,000m drill campaign and engage consultants to undertake an update MRE.

Viking Mines Ltd (ASX: VKA) has reported an encouraging update, highlighting vanadium potential of its Canegrass Battery Minerals Project. Initial metallurgical testwork completed on samples from the Kinks South target within the project has delivered very high vanadium recoveries up to 99.3%, highlights the Company update.

This is what Viking Mines Managing Director & CEO Julian Woodcock said among other things:

Details of the testwork

The Company gathered 36 samples from hole VCRC0006 and deposited at ALS metallurgy for Davis Tube Wash (DTW) testwork with a target P80 75-micron grind. The objective was to confirm recovery of vanadium by magnetic separation techniques.  

Data source: company update

Overview of the testwork

As per the DTW testwork, a high-quality magnetic concentrate can be generated at the Canegrass Project from the VTM mineralisation. Also, there is a positive indication from the low levels of Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ that feed for roasting can be generated for producing a V₂O₅ flake with further testwork.

Additionally, the high-grade iron values in the concentrate suggest analysing production of an iron/magnetite concentrate for direct shipping. The presence of copper, nickel, and cobalt at multiple recoveries to the non-magnetic tail validates future potential for recovery of these additional battery minerals and testwork.

Data source: company update  

Future plans

The Company is planning to conduct further metallurgical testwork based on the excellent results received so far. It is looking forward to exploring options for additional processing methods with recovery of more products from mineralisation.

The remaining results from drilling are anticipated from the laboratory to complete QAQC assessment as well as interpretation of the magnetite horizon.

The Company will be hiring an external consultant for resource modelling to have an updated JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate for the Project.