[Ferro-Alloys.com] Australian Vanadium Ltd (ASX:AVL) has welcomed an upgrade by Bryah Resources Ltd (ASX:BYH) to the previous base metal mineral resource estimate (MRE) within the Australian Vanadium Project deposit at Gabanintha Project in central Western Australia from 31.3 million tonnes to 36 million tonnes.

AVL holds the rights to vanadium, titanium, iron ore, cobalt, chromium, uranium, lithium, tantalum and manganese, while Bryah holds the rights to nickel, copper and gold, among other minerals.

Working together to maximise recovery

AVL is a major shareholder (4.8%) of Bryah and both companies are working together to maximise the recovery of metals from this world-class vanadium-titanium-magnetite (VTM) deposit, with Bryah taking the lead on further studies relating to the base metal recovery circuit.

Nickel, copper and cobalt are all critically important, high value energy metals vital for the global transition to electric vehicles.

The collaboration between Bryah and AVL has been assisted by a Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) grant to AVL of A$49 million to progress critical minerals. BYH is named as a collaborator under the MMI application.

15% increase in MRE

This updated base metals indicated and inferred mineral resource represents a 15% increase on the previous figure, to 36 million tonnes at 766 parts per million (ppm) nickel, 212 ppm copper and 231 ppm cobalt.

The indicated portion of the resource, 16.1 million tonnes at 762 ppm nickel, 212 ppm copper and 231 ppm cobalt, is in the high-grade vanadium zone within the three planned open pits of AVL’s vanadium project described in its bankable feasibility study.

The VTM deposit, which has a proposed 25-year mine life operation, is roughly 11.5 kilometres long within the project area. Most of this is sitting on a mining lease, which was granted in 2020.

Battery metal value can be realised

With AVL having completed a BFS and looking toward production, BYH can now realise the value of its battery metals.

During AVL’s feasibility studies, flotation test-work of non-magnetic tails from the vanadium beneficiation produced sulphide concentrates that contained up to 6.3% base metals including up to 2.02% cobalt, 2.58% nickel and 1.70% copper.

AVL has now completed a bankable feasibility study on the vanadium resource at the project.

Progressing strongly toward vanadium production

Commenting on the updated mineral resource estimate, Bryah CEO Ashley Jones said: “With AVL progressing strongly toward vanadium production; completing the BFS and being granted a A$49 million grant from the government, Bryah also comes a step closer to realising value in its mineral rights.

“We are very pleased to report a substantial increase of 15% in the base metals mineral resource within the high-grade vanadium-titanium-magnetite deposit at Gabanintha. The indicated and inferred mineral resource has increased from 31.3 million tonnes to 36 million tonnes at 766 ppm nickel, 212 ppm copper and 231 ppm cobalt.

“Metallurgical test-work from 2018 and 2022 indicates that a significant non-magnetic nickel-copper-cobalt rich sulphide tailings stream would come from the plant following magnetic separation of the vanadium-bearing magnetite concentrate.

“We know that the vanadium ore beneficiation process effectively concentrates the sulphide minerals in the tail, enabling further concentration by flotation methods.”

• [Editor:tianyawei]