Hi Teddy Good question. As stated in previous ann's by BB AUZ...

Hi Teddy Good question. As stated in previous ann's by BB AUZ have studied the lab results from both MLM and JRV in going first as partners then buying the tenements outright from them. Also they would be looking a CLQ lab results for Sunrise as CLQ now calls their site. Most lab tests by ,I know for, JRV were regarding the scandium and a little research with CSIRO for Ni and Co extraction and trying to reclaim acid foe re-use as I stated in a previous post. There is a analysis done for MLM for Sconi by Ausenco (an engineering firm) investigating heap leach to extract the Ni and Co . Heap leach is lay down plastic over a large area use acid in enormous quantities to seep thru ore capture seepage via drains then go straight to SX. This process is used by gold and copper producers quite sucessfully on operating plants as the heap leach is over massive areas and they already have operating plants to allow them to wait the long period for the seepage, it is used mainly on very low grades not worthwhile going thru milling and CIL circuits.
But biggest problems is amount of acid required and time taken to get anything worthwhile. Also massive EPA issues.
This would be why MLM after recieving report discarded this idea. Murrin tried it back in 2003-2004 to boost production but stopped as it was not worth the effort.
The reason I went down that explanation was to explain why the pilot plant is being used for samples as well as test bed for process.
Auz must demonstrate to customers that the process they are using will give repeatable constant good grade of product. They will have to send multiple (right back from lunch now can't miss dry mess ride) samples from different batches with traceable certs showing the processing temps/pressure /disharge rates/acid usage/SX solution meaning the kero solution used for SX has different chems for the Co and Ni extraction are constant. Also % of Ni and Co metal in the two different sulphates will have to be at I would say the 20% that BB has previously mentioned as this is obviously what customers are looking at.
Doing all this will also test the process that it can be done economically will will be used in BFS as well.
These plants are quite expensive as previously stated and you want to know that the process you use works. As stated in previous threads Murrin took 13yrs before they achieved constant nameplate and Goro to my knowledge has not yet achieved constant nameplate design after commissioning started on claves and refinery in late 2009.
These guys don't have the unlimited cash that Vale,BHP, Sherritt have to keep tweaking and engineering to achieve outputs
This is why as I previously stated that I invested in AUZ, that they have gone to the expense of the quite good pilot plant $2Mln.