Aspiring high-quality minerals sands company Ventnor Resources (ASX: VRX) says bulk metallurgical testwork at its Arrowsmith and Muchea silica sands projects north of Perth has confirmed the potential to produce sought-after glassmaking materials. Ventnor is now focussed on establishing mineral resource estimates for the Arrowsmith North and Muchea deposits in coming months and calculating likely capital costs before the end of the year.
Highlights:
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Bulk testwork completed on all projects
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Testwork has confirmed high-grade products with samples sent to potential customers
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Third iteration testwork to confirm circuit design to enable engineering
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Equipment list and cost estimates by end of year
Ventnor Resources Limited (Ventnor or Company) (ASX: VRX) is pleased to announce positive bulk sampling results from its Arrowsmith Silica Sand Project, located 270km north of Perth, and Muchea Silica Sand Project, 50km north of Perth.
The results of the testwork have confirmed that Arrowsmith North and Arrowsmith Central, part of the Arrowsmith Project, and Muchea can produce sought-after product for glassmaking.
Ventnor had collected a bulk sample of 300kg from each of its four granted tenements across the Arrowsmith and Muchea projects for bulk metallurgical testwork.
The testwork program was developed from laboratory scale testwork that had been undertaken by Nagrom in Perth. The initial results justified a further program on a larger sample.
The bulk samples were sent to a specialist sand metallurgical testing laboratory, CDE Global.
The intention of this program was to gain a better understanding of the sand characteristics when subjected to standard processing techniques.
A significant result of the testwork was the apparent effect of high- density attritioning and also the recovery of magnetic grains by a high-intensity magnetic separator on the quality of the final product.
Results from this testwork will also support the Mineral Resource Estimates for reporting under the JORC 2012 code.
Ventnor has engaged experienced geological consultancy CSA Global to undertake the Maiden Resource Estimate for Arrowsmith North. The Estimate is expected later this month.
Ventnor Managing Director Bruce Maluish said: “These testwork results not only confirm our expectations for glassmaking quality sand at Arrowsmith and higher-quality sand at Muchea but also justify a further iteration of testwork to investigate the potential for even higher-grade and higher-value products.”
This testwork program has enabled the Company to send samples to prospective customers. The third iteration of bulk testwork is under way, with results expected in October 2018.
