POD's slow moving Met Work programme. It's been two years now. Being frugal is good but the market is uncompromising. If this is a major mine prospect, raise the capital and get on with it.
The only real question about POD: can it be mined profitably? I know the answer is YES as I've done enough homework and can read the tea leaves. It's about time to lay out the case so a 5 year old can understand, if only by drawing parallels with proven South African mines and leveraging work to date.
Time for at least an analyst or two to write this up.
27/07/2022
Mineral processing and hydrometallurgical test work is progressing on both oxide and sulphide ores. The flotation test work is being undertaken by DRA Global, a world leader in the design and operation of PGM processing plants.
Final mass balance and reporting of the flotation test work is expected to be provided to the Company in the September quarter. Metallurgical test work is forecast to continue throughout 2022 as the Podium team optimises metal recoveries and defines a preferred path to market for PGM’s and the base metals.
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29/04/2022
Podium is continuing to progress its metallurgical testwork program, the testing previously focused on treating the oxide mineralisation in Parks Reef. The program has now been expanded to include sulphide ore processing testwork.
DRA Global has been engaged to conduct the mineral processing test work. This is in addition to current work programs being progressed by Core Technologies who are currently conducting flotation and a range of leach testing on the Parks Reef orebody. These ongoing work programmes are key steps towards the development of Podiums scoping study.
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10/02/2022
Metallurgical test work of Parks Reef mineralisation is considered to be at an early stage and remains ongoing: Bench scale flotation test work on fresh mineralisation showed similarities to Southern African sulphide PGM ores (e.g., Platreef ores from South Africa and Great Dyke ores from Zimbabwe). PGM recovery of 71% and Cu recovery of 69% was reported from a rougher flotation test, with a cleaner test achieving grades of 58g/t 3E PGM and 5% Cu.
The rougher test is considered to be indicative of overall recovery potential while the open circuit cleaner tests are indicative of potential concentrate grades. The PGM rougher recovery was increased to 81% with the addition of a secondary rougher stage and finer grind.
Leaching test work on the oxidised mineralisation continues to investigate the potential for a leach process route with objectives to: (i) maximise metal recoveries from the oxide mineralisation in Parks Reef; and (ii) evaluate the potential for production of a high-purity product(s) that may be marketable directly to metal refiners.
Leaching test work on oxide mineralisation has shown the ability for dissolution of the targeted metals with a sulphuric acid - chloride leach system rapidly leaching the tested samples under atmospheric conditions, with 80% 3E PGM extraction achieved in three hours with moderate reagent consumptions at 90 degrees C. Further metallurgical test work is currently in progress to select and optimise a preferred process route.
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30/11/2021
AGM: 1. Bench scale test work by Podium has: - Demonstrated fresh mineralisation responds to conventional flotation concentration - Identified processes for leaching of the target metals in the oxide mineralisation under atmospheric conditions and with rapid leach times using commonly available reagents
2. Leaching provides opportunity to maximise payable metal recoveries and to produce a high-purity product for marketing direct to a metal refiner
3. Global leader Core Resources appointed to provide independent metallurgical testing, process/ flowsheet development and technology services for a comprehensive PFS Level Flowsheet development test work program
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30/11/2020
AGM: 1. Benchscale testwork by Podium has: • demonstrated fresh mineralisation responds to conventional flotation concentration; • identified processes for leaching of the target metals in the oxide mineralisation under atmospheric conditions and with rapid leach times using commonly available reagents.
2. A leaching process provides opportunity to maximise payable metal recoveries and to produce a high-purity product for marketing direct to a metal refiner.
3. The leach testwork has been supported with a joint funding grant under the Innovation Connections programme by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.
4. Podium is undertaking further comprehensive testwork programmes including fresh and oxide ore types focused on informed selection of a viable process route and flowsheet design.
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30/11/2020
In parallel with the resource development work Podium is progressing a metallurgical testwork programme which is focused on selecting and optimising a leaching process to treat the oxide mineralisation in Parks Reef with joint funding provided under the Australian Government's Innovation Connections programme.
This testwork is expected to run through the December 2020 quarter and the Company is currently evaluating and planning for further metallurgical testwork for both the oxidised and fresh mineralisation as important feed information into a scoping study.
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31/07/2020
As well as the resource development work described above Podium is progressing a metallurgical testwork programme with the Extractive Metallurgy MPI (Metallurgical Process - Research Development and Innovation) group at Murdoch University with joint funding provided under the Australian Government's Innovation Connections programme.
The testwork follows on from the previously completed testwork programmes carried out at the Western Australian School of Mines and is primarily focused on selecting and optimising a leaching process to treat the oxidised mineralisation in Parks Reef.
The objectives of the work are to maximise payable metal recoveries of the near surface material and to evaluate the potential for production of a high-purity product(s) that may be marketable directly to metal refiners.
The testwork is expected to run through the September and December 2020 quarters and is considered a critical path activity to be completed in parallel with the resource drilling to feed into a Scoping Study to define an optimal development plan for the project.
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