Arafura Resources Announces Positive Phosphate Extraction Pilot Plant Results

Arafura Resources (ASX: ARU) (“Arafura” or “the Company”) is pleased to advise that the second phase of flowsheet piloting for its 100 per cent-owned Nolans NeodymiumPraseodymium (“NdPr”) Project in the Northern Territory, which focused on the extraction of a saleable phosphoric acid by-product from NdPr-rich concentrate, has met with approval from independent phosphoric acid expert Prayon Technologies (“Prayon”).
As part of its review, Prayon has verified the suitability of information gathered from the phosphate extraction pilot plant, which operated over a 10-day period during March 2017 at SGS Australia’s facilities in Perth, for inclusion in the definitive feasibility study (“DFS”) Arafura is preparing on Nolans.
Arafura Managing Director Gavin Lockyer said:

“The two phases of pilot operations conducted to date for Nolans have been completed according to schedule with results meeting our expectations. We have every confidence that this trend will continue for the rest of the pilot program.
Following our successful capital raising earlier this year, the Company is well funded to complete its pilot programs which will ultimately feed into the final feasibility. Combined with improved NdPr prices, the pilot results play a major role in determining the final costs and feasibility of the Nolans Project and when it can be developed into a long-term secure supply of highvalue NdPr magnet-feed rare earths.”

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