European Metals Holdings Ltd (LON:EMH) has today reported on preliminary results recently received from its ongoing metallurgical optimisation and ore variability testwork program.
This testwork program is being conducted in support of the development of the Cinovec Lithium-Tin Project (“the project” or “Cinovec”).
HIGHLIGHTS
· Lithium leach recoveries of 94 – 95% achieved from recent laboratory scale roasting and water leaching tests.
· Confirmation that a modest increase in roasting temperature significantly increases lithium recovery.
· Confirmation that the substitution of the more cost effective reagent, limestone in place of lime did not reduce lithium recovery.
Recent metallurgical testwork has seen further roast recovery improvements on ore sourced from core taken from the area that is intended to be mined and processed in the first years of the project.
Subsequently testwork was completed whereby the more cost effective reagent limestone was substituted for lime into the roasting feed mix. A lithium recovery rate of 94.8% was achieved from this test. This finding will support the achievement of significant cost savings in this part of the flowsheet.
European Metals Holdings Ltd Managing Director, Keith Coughlan said: “We continue to work on optimising all aspects of the Cinovec Project and are pleased to be able to report significantly increased lithium recoveries from our roast / leach process together with potentially lower operating costs in that section of the process. The Preliminary Feasibility Study we concluded last year indicates that Cinovec will be a bottom half cost curve producer. Higher recoveries and lower costs will only enhance the economics of the Project.”
The results achieved thus far from the small-scale roast / leach testwork conducted to date supports the view that EMH will soon be able to bring this work to an end and will be able to move confidently into the next phases of locked cycle, pilot scale and equipment selection testing in support of the Definitive Feasibility Study.
