source:Mining
Namibia Critical Metals (TSX-V:NMI, OTCQB:NMREF) has announced the successful completion of the pilot plant flotation test work for its 'Lofdal 2B-4' heavy rare earth project.
The rare earths project developer said based on preliminary data, the pilot plant program confirms the reproducibility of the grinding and flotation regime for the Lofdal flowsheet and the ability to scale-up the design with confirmation of engineering design criteria.
"We are extremely pleased with the completion of the flotation pilot plant test work, which has yielded highly positive results," Namibia Critical Metals (TSX-V:NMI, OTCQB:NMREF) president Darrin Campbell said in a statement.
"Based on the preliminary data, it appears that the hard work invested by our metallurgy teams over the past months will result in a substantial cumulative reduction in OPEX compared to previous financial estimations," he added.
Namibia Critical Metals noted flotation pilot plant test work was conducted at SGS Lakefield from October to November 2023.
The company added that final reporting from SGS Lakefield is expected in February 2024, while a hydrometallurgical scale-up test is planned during the first quarter of this year.
Namibia Critical Metals is developing the Tier-1 heavy rare earth project, Lofdal, a globally significant deposit of the heavy rare earth metals dysprosium and terbium.