Independent exploratory flotation tests conducted on a prepared composite, from the Kef El Louz area of the Chaketma Resource, delivered an initial phosphate recovery of 90% with a mass pull of 70%, while producing a concentrate of commercially acceptable grades, at >29% P2O5, with 0.77% MgO and MER <0.08.
This level of P2O5 (phosphorus pentoxide) recovery represents a 12.5 % improvement relative to previous test results.
Commenting on the metallurgical breakthrough, Celamin CEO Nic Clift said: "Subject to further studies, this performance improvement has the potential to deliver a step-change reduction in operating expenditure and capital expenditure for the Chaketma Project, which will provide major benefits to the project’s economic potential. We are excited at the potential to prove-up this performance on a commercial scale, and will update the market on our progress in due course."
Additional tests have confirmed the recoveries achieved with this flotation configuration and validated the outstanding results. They confirmed the significantly higher recoveries than previously reported, achieved utilising a process with fewer stages and constant conditions.
If this improvement in recovery can be sustained on full commercial scale, it would reduce the tonnes mined for every tonne of exportable product by 22% – from 2.3 tonnes (as used in the 2012 Scoping Study evaluation), to only 1.8 tonnes – and would have significant positive implications on the project’s capital costs and operating costs
The process design of the new flotation process is yet to be completed and the economic feasibility of the process innovation remains to be demonstrated.
Further detail on metallurgical test-work conducted at the Chaketma Project is available in the Company’s ASX announcement of 25 July 2014.
Background to improved recoveries:
An exploratory flotation test was conducted in November 2013 on a prepared [A+B+C] composite, which was crushed, ground and de-slimed at 40µm. This test used a single "stage" reverse flotation, with a reagent showing higher selectivity to separate dolomite from phosphates. This composite included the C layer with a higher silica content, which, in past metallurgical programs, has shown to lower both concentrate quality and overall recovery.
Three tests were carried out at varying collector consumptions, which allowed confirmation of an optimal addition rate with regards to P2O5 recovery, while producing quality concentrates, from the [A+B+C] composites.
