NICKEL: TVI Pacific produces first hydroxide from pilot plant

PHILIPPINES – As Calgary-based TVI Pacific continues working towards earning a 60% interest in the Agata iron-nickel laterite project in the Agusan del Norte province, the company says its pilot plant has produced the first nickel hydroxide product from Agata ore. The pregnant leach solution was passed through a counter-current ion exchange step that recovered an estimated 99.3% of the nickel. After dewatering, filter cake graded between 52% and 54% Ni.

A mixed hydroxide product was also produced at a grade of 36% Ni, and after a two-stage precipitation step, mixed product can be upgraded to more than 40% Ni. The next step in operation of the pilot plant is to treat the ion exchange barren solution to produce an effluent and perform ecological tests.

The Agata project is a joint venture of TVI Pacific and 75% owner Mindoro Resources of Edmonton. The partners plan to develop a near term high iron laterite direct shipping ore operation and a near term limestone DSO operation. Over the medium term they have plans to build a lime plant and the nickel processing plant.

The latest NI 43-101 report is available at Mindoro.com. It outlines a measured and indicated resource of 33.9 million tonnes grading 1.1% Ni and an inferred resource of 2.0 million tonnes at 1.04% Ni.