96% cobalt recovery calcine leach process

So 3-6 months further down the track the cobalt debate and economics have evolved greatly . Recently the news breaking over at COB is that they are targeting a high recovery (96%) of cobalt from grades of approx 900 ppm using a calcine leach process.

The benefits and cost savings appear to be numerous
In brief summation as follows


1) high recovery 96% much better than the proposed 40%
2) ability to produce battery grade cobalt sulphate whilst leapfrogging the process to create cobalt physical metal
3) cobalt sulphate is priced at a premium to cobalt metal
4) synergies by utilising the Sulphur present in the concentrate creates a cost saving.


Seems to me that NZC needs to research the economics of a roasting process and leaching to value add to their resource

Nzc has a significant advantage with both cobalt grades and copper grades, higher than all asx peers, and I would be interested to see this strategy explored.



Interested to hear from various parties and oppinions