Ann: Potential to Develop Beneficiated Products at Quicksilver, page-4

So ...excellent news!

There's a hell of a lot of this material at Quicksilver, and a relatively simple beneficiation process looks likely to produce "so far" three saleable products, with a fourth potential product stream also already in the offing:


The Quicksilver Stage 2 metallurgical testwork has exceeded the Company’s expectations and demonstrated the potential to develop a low energy customised multi product beneficiation process. So far three potential products have been identified and the Company is continuing its metallurgical investigations on the unique style of nickel – cobalt mineralisation at Quicksilver with the aim of increasing value for shareholders.
- Rhod Grivas, Golden Mile’s Chairman -


1. A Ni-Cr-magnetite concentrate

Potential uses for such a concentrate may include a blend component in iron ore sinter or pellet feed, a (Fe+Cr+Ni) feed additive for stainless steel production, a dense media, paint pigment or other use based on its high specific gravity, colour and sizing.

2. A nickel concentrate

Diagnostic investigation of the slimes indicates further potential may exist to upgrade nickel and cobalt by the physical rejection of quartz and goethite and removal of volatiles that would naturally occur in the case of pelletising this material. This stream has potential to be sold as a nickel concentrate (local or exported) or processed further onsite at least to a nickel intermediate product.

3. Local construction aggregate

A silica rich and low nickel grade component of the saprolite material (0.2 to 0.4% Ni) can be rejected as coarse angular screen oversize (+1mm) after low energy scrubbing. Graded by size this stream has potential to be used as local construction aggregate.


4. Ni + Vermiculite?

The mica concentrate may have potential to be heap leached for the recovery of nickel and a saleable vermiculite mineral or sold directly as a potential 4th product stream.



Preliminary investigation into potential markets for the Ni-Cr-magnetite concentrate and the nickel smectite concentrate have begun.