Compelling Outcomes From TKR Pre-Feasibility Study
Blackstone Minerals’ (ASX:BSX) Board of Director have approved the first phase of pilot plant work and the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the Ta Khoa Refinery (TKR) in Vietnam.
Managing Director, Scott Williamson, said the first phase of piloting will be designed to process 20kg per hour of nickel concentrate feed and will produce approximately 1.75kg per hour of nickel in Nickel: Cobalt: Manganese (NCM) products:
• The first phase of piloting will produce various grades of NCM including NCM622 and NCM811
• Early design works for piloting have been completed, with procurement of equipment to commence in the current quarter
• The first phase of piloting will occur in the Son La Province within proximity to the Company’s Ta Khoa Nickel – Cu – PGE Project
• First pilot plant product currently expected early in 2022
• Testwork data from piloting will be in support of the TKR DFS • Scope of Works submitted to Tier 1 firms to tender for lead engineering role for the TKR DFS
• The first phase of piloting and the TKR DFS are fully funded from existing cash reserves.
“The Board’s endorsement of the recent PFS milestone has been rapidly followed by approval of the first phase of piloting and the Ta Khoa Refinery DFS,” Mr Williamson said.
“The pilot plant process is an opportunity for Blackstone to optimise, with respect to quantity and quality, recent successful outcomes which include the production of its first battery grade NCM811 Precursor sample.
“The company is acutely aware of its first mover advantage and importantly, will be able to deploy its current balance sheet to continue to fast track the next important stages towards commercialisation of the Ta Khoa Refinery.”
Blackstone Minerals Ltd is focused on building an integrated upstream and downstream processing business in Vietnam that produces Nickel: Cobalt: Manganese (NCM) Precursor products for Asia’s growing Lithium-ion battery industry.
The company owns a 90% interest in the Ta Khoa Nickel-Copper-PGE Project. The Ta Khoa Project is located 160km west of Hanoi in the Son La Province of Vietnam and includes an existing modern nickel mine built to Australian standards which is currently under care and maintenance.
The Ban Phuc nickel mine successfully operated as a mechanised underground nickel mine from 2013 to 2016. In October 2020, the Company completed a Scoping Study which investigated mining the Ban Phuc Disseminated nickel sulphide ore body (upstream) and the construction of one downstream refinery.
Based on the outcomes of the Scoping Study, the Company has since completed a technically and economically robust Pre-feasibility Study for its Downstream Business Unit (DBU) which sees expanded downstream capacity. This is based on the Ta Khoa refinery being designed to process 400ktpa of nickel concentrate, supplied from the Ta Khoa Nickel – Cu – PGE mine as well as third party concentrate.
For further information please visit: https://www.blackstoneminerals.com.au/
