Centaurus Metals (ASX: CTM) has obtained promising assay results from the nickel sulphate produced from Jaguar Nickel Sulphide Project refinery pilot plant testwork programme.
The results confirm the ability of the Jaguar Project to deliver a high-quality battery-grade nickel sulphate product with key impurities well below the low end of the target range.
This important result reinforces the positive outcomes of the refinery pilot plant testwork programme, which saw Centaurus produce its first nickel sulphate product from the Jaguar Project, confirming its ability to supply the fast-growing EV/lithium-ion battery markets.
The pilot plant testwork programme also successfully produced valuable by-products of zinc hydroxide and cobalt hydroxide.
The pilot work targeted a sulphate specification in the range aligned with the indicative requirements for a premium battery-grade nickel sulphate product from potential off-takers.
The result delivers a premium ‘4 Nines’ product with an expectation that this could be refined further if off-take terms incentivized it.
Centaurus’ piloting programme for the Jaguar Project was developed to provide detailed chemistry and process engineering data for the DFS and future front-end engineering design (FEED) requirements, as well as to ensure a high-quality nickel product is achieved for marketing and strategic off-take discussions. The assay results reported today confirm that all objectives of the refinery pilot plant program have been achieved.
Approximately 96% of the nickel contained in the nickel concentrate feed to the pilot plant was recovered to nickel sulphate, meaning an overall recovery of nickel from ore to sulphate of 75% (at the average head grade of the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 0.87% Ni).
Managing Director, Darren Gordon, said the Jaguar refinery pilot plant testwork program was a success in every respect, with all objectives of the work achieved to a high level.
“To produce a high-quality, ‘4 Nines’ battery-grade nickel sulphate product from the first refinery test work undertaken is extremely pleasing and bodes well for off-take discussions as there simply aren’t many options globally for a long-life supply of nickel sulphate with a low-carbon footprint, well located to key western hemisphere markets.
“As the EV market evolves, high-quality battery grade nickel sulphate supply from projects like Jaguar will become increasingly sought-after.”
The assay work on the zinc hydroxide and cobalt hydroxide products is still being undertaken.
For further information please visit: https://www.centaurus.com.au/
