High-value magnet rare earth shows for Viridis in Brazil
Viridis Mining and Minerals bulk sample collection and inspection at its Colossus rare earths project in Brazil. Credit: File
Viridis Mining and Minerals has generated what it says are unprecedented early results from the latest metallurgical testing at its Colossus rare earths project in Brazil.
The company says it has achieved breakthrough ionic recoveries for overall magnet rare earth oxides (MREO) of 83 per cent by using a remarkably low concentration ammonia sulfate wash with a pH of 4.5, which equates to the same acidity as using a pint of beer.
The early test-work to obtain a mixed rare earths carbonate (MREC) product for Viridis’ Southern complex, covering the Cupim South and Centro Sul deposits, is also showing the remarkable characteristic of increasing recoveries at a lower concentration and lower acidity wash.
Management believes the findings suggest its Southern concession mix rare earths carbonate will result in a comparable or perhaps superior product than was achieved at its “world-leading” Northern concessions.
The company says the low-cost nature of its reagents and premium recoveries achieved at atmospheric temperatures is more than likely to position Colossus as a potential world leader in ionic clay rare earths and bodes well for the future economics of the project.
Viridis’ diagnostic leach tests used 26 drill holes for a 41kg bulk composite sample and revealed 82 and 83 per cent recoveries of the more lucrative electric motor magnet rare earths neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy), and terbium (Tb). Notably, the latter two are considered “heavy” rare earths and much rarer than the light rare earths neodymium and praseodymium. The heavy rare earths also fetch significant market prices.
Viridis achieved the record recoveries using a bulk sample of ionic clays with an impressive head grade of 4561ppm TREO and importantly, some 33 per cent of the sample consisting of both light and heavy magnet rare earths.
The recent tests also demonstrated that using a mild pH impressively lowered impurity levels of the uranium and thorium nasties.
The company will now complete additional testing through the entire production flowsheet to produce an initial MREC product for its Cupim South prospect.
These results represent an outstanding start to the MREC test program from our southern group of concessions. After the remarkable results we achieved from our Northern Concessions MREC, we were hoping to demonstrate something similar here, but these first of a kind leaching results for a simple and benign salt wash have surpassed all expectations.
Viridis Mining and Minerals CEO Rafael Moreno
Viridis’ dual-testing strategy between the Northern and Southern Concessions at Colossus offers a thorough understanding of each area’s unique recovery characteristics, ensuring precise input for the upcoming scoping study.
With a remaining 25 per cent of assays from the company’s Southern complex reverse circulation program anticipated shortly, Viridis’ expects to release a resource update soon, before an eagerly awaited scoping study can put some hard figures around the project’s standout ionic clays potential.
Viridis also recently partnered with sector colleague Ionic Rare Earths in a move to capture the value associated with the downstream processing of rare earths.
The partners have created a new 50:50 joint venture entity to be known as “Viridion” which is planning to commercialise Ionic’s “Selective Separation Technology” (SST) that is used for downstream processing and Viridis’ “Rare Earth Recycling Technology” (RRT) designed to recycle spent magnets from electric motors and other industrial applications.
Viridion is looking to become the first company to provide an integrated rare earths supply chain outside of China and following its continued promising recoveries at Colossus, the company just may have a premium enough product to achieve that goal.
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