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Highlights
- Rimfire Pacific Mining has engaged Independent Metallurgical Operations (IMO) to undertake beneficiation and leaching trials.
- The studies will be performed on high-grade material from the Melrose prospect.
- The company plans to undertake a 1,000m drilling program at Melrose in early March.
- The ongoing developments are aimed at estimating a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for the location in line with 2012 JORC Code.
Critical minerals explorer Rimfire Pacific Mining (ASX: RIM) has roped in Independent Metallurgical Operations Pty Ltd (IMO) to advance work at its Melrose prospect.
The Perth-based specialist metallurgical services group will develop a conceptual processing flowsheet focusing on optimising atmospheric leach recoveries and production of a nickel – cobalt – scandium product from high-grade mineralised material from Melrose.
Melrose is a prospect within the company’s Avondale Earn In Project, located in the world-renowned Lachlan Orogen district of central New South Wales.
Shares jump over 14%
Triggered by the update, RIM shares jumped by 14.285% to close the day’s trade at AU$0.008 on 10 February 2023.
Overview of metallurgical studies
Rimfire Pacific Mining has dispatched a bulk sample weighing 260 kg of high-grade material from Melrose to IMO for beneficiation and leaching trials.
Under the planned beneficiation work, IMO will target to deliver an upgraded nickel – cobalt - scandium product from the atmospheric leach test work. Eyeing to maximise scandium recoveries, the Perth company will also undertake a detailed literature review on extraction processes being deployed on a global level for laterite – hosted nickel-cobalt-scandium deposits.
IMO will incorporate the results of preliminary test work and analysis of a 10kg sample of PQ diamond drill core from Melrose undertaken by ALS Metallurgy in Perth in 2022.
IMO is expected to share reports on a consistent basis with Rimfire Pacific Mining, which expects the test work to conclude in 3 months.
Melrose sits within a strategic location
Melrose is nearly 70km northwest of Parkes, the site of the Critical Minerals Hub proposed by the state government of New South Wales Government. The site is planned to be the central point for mining and value-added processing of critical minerals within the state.
Rimfire saw multiple strongly anomalous drill intercepts from aircore and diamond drilling at Melrose in 2022. Melrose remains open along strike both to the north and south.
Data source: RIM update
What’s next?
Early next month, Rimfire plans to drill a further 20 reverse circulation holes for 1,000m, aimed at determining the extents of the mineralisation.
The company plans a detailed drill out of the Melrose prospect, given success with the metallurgical test work and the step out drilling. The detailed drill out program will enable estimating a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for the location in line with 2012 JORC Code.
