NUNAVUT STARFIELD RESOURCES of Toronto says the latest hydrometallurgical tests of massive sulphide ore from its Ferguson Lake base metal-PGE project are promising, thanks to refinement of the hydrolysis circuit. Tests are on-going in Montreal.
Starfield says preliminary results are promising for three reasons. The procedure can be efficiently translated from the batch mode to continuous operation (a key achievement in any hydrometallurgical process). Hydrochloric acid, ranging from 30% to 35% in strength, has been continuously, and more importantly, steadily and consistently produced over extended periods of several hours. The process generates a highly crystalline black hematite, with a coarse texture that filters very well, and an iron content of 68% to 71%, with no detectable base metals or chloride content.
The hydromet plant for the Ferguson Lake project will be designed to extract pure, LME-grade nickel, copper and cobalt. A byproduct of plant operation will be electricity to power both the plant and the mine.
In April 2008, Starfield released a summary of the Ferguson Lake scoping study prepared by SCOTT WILSON ROSCOE POSTLE ASSOCIATES that may be read at www.StarfieldRes.com.
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