Ongoing work by Hastings Technology Metals at its Yangibana project has also uncovered additional critical metals that can provide a multi-commodity recovery process stream and byproduct credit income.
Analysis of previous drilling at the Bald Hill and Simon’s Find trends and the completion of additional niobium assays have allowed for the completion of an initial niobium mineral resource estimate for these deposits. Importantly, this area is near the planned process plant and is vital for the feed required upon project commissioning in Q4 2026.
The niobium pentoxide measured and indicated mineral resource is now 6.7Mt at 2,305ppm for 15,501t Nb2O5. Located in Western Australia’s Gascoyne region, the Yangibana Project also has niobium within its existing footprint.
The niobium concentrations occur in the form of mineral ferro-columbite at the Yangibana Project over a 4km strike at the existing Simon’s Find and Bald Hill deposits. Studies are underway to incorporate the ferro-columbite estimate value into an updated ore reserve.
Besides this reported maiden niobium MRE, an updated mineral resource estimate is expected to be available by November 2024, including the potential of associated critical minerals dioxide and hafnium oxide after the conclusion of metallurgical testing of the recovery of zircon and associated hafnium.
Niobium is a technology-critical metal with major applications, including making steel lighter and stronger, high-tech alloys and faster recharging of lithium-ion batteries.
Hastings Chief Geologist, Dr Louis Schürmann, said, “The maiden niobium mineral resource estimate is an important step towards providing a multi-commodity recovery process stream and by-product credit income.
“The Yangibana Project hosts the Gifford Creek Carbonatite, which is an important depository of REE and critical metals, while the designed beneficiation plant will be capable of producing ferrocolumbite, hafnium-rich zircon and monazite concentrates.
“Yangibana’s multi-commodity potential is being expanded through further exploration and ongoing metallurgical testing of hafnium-enriched zircon.”
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