Terra Metals has reported outcomes from the first phase of metallurgical test-work at the Dante copper-gold-platinum group metals project in Western Australia.
The test-work indicates the potential to produce three distinct high-grade concentrates using cost-effective processing methods.
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The Dante Reefs, part of the Dante project, have been identified as a potentially “significant” source of various commercially viable products.
A copper-gold-platinum group metals sulphide concentrate has demonstrated concentrate grades and metal recoveries.
The second concentrate, a vanadium-magnetite product, has exceeded the grades of leading vanadium projects, with a recovery rate of 90.9%. This concentrate is an ideal feedstock for producing high-purity vanadium pentoxide flake.
The third concentrate, a titanium-ilmenite product, has a high recovery rate of 65.6% titanium dioxide. These results support the potential for competitive production of high-value titanium products.
The test-work was directed by metallurgist Evan Kirby, a Fellow of the South African Institute for Mining and Metallurgy.
Kirby said: “These preliminary results are extremely encouraging and suggest the Dante Reefs has potential to produce multiple commercial concentrate products using low-cost and simple processing techniques. The mineralogy has favourable properties compared to some other known deposits in production.
“The initial results demonstrate a potential pathway to produce a high-grade saleable copper-precious metal sulphide concentrate, a high-grade vanadium concentrate suitable for producing high-purity vanadium pentoxide flake and a high-quality commercial titanium-ilmenite concentrate, using simple and low-cost processing methods.
“Given these initial promising results, and the size of the Dante Reefs discovery defined thus far by exploration drilling, the Dante Reefs has potential to be a globally significant and highly competitive source of a range of commercially attractive products.”
Phase two of the metallurgical testwork is planned to further optimise processing parameters, concentrate grades and metal recoveries.
Terra Metals managing director and CEO Thomas Line said: “We will continue our systematic development of the deposit, including Phase 2 optimisation testwork and delineation of a maiden resource. Given the large amount of work undertaken last year, we believe we can achieve these next major milestones cost-effectively with modest further investment.”
In January 2025, Terra Metals secured an option to acquire HRM Exploration, which holds four exploration licenses spanning 618km², adjacent to its flagship Dante project.
