Royal Nickel Completes Bulk Test for Dumont Project

Royal Nickel Corp. (TSX:RNX) announced the completion of a large-scale bulk test that generated about 2 tonnes of nickel concentrate from 300 tonnes of ore. The sample was produced at an Ontario-based pilot plant, and the ore came from the company’s Dumont nickel project.
As quoted in the press release:

The concentrate will be further treated though a roasting process and sent to potential customers in Asia and Europe which will allow RNC to continue to advance its offtake and financing discussions.
The average grade of the sulphide concentrate, as measured from the pilot plant surveys, was over 31% nickel, consistent with the previous test work performed as the basis of the feasibility study. Final assays for all material produced will be complete by the end of the month. Based on data from Wood Mackenzie, Dumont nickel concentrate grades surpass the current highest grade nickel concentrate produced of 25% from Voisey’s Bay and are 2-3 times higher than typical concentrate grades of 10-15% nickel. The pilot plant, which operated for 6 weeks at SGS Minerals in Lakefield, Ontario performed well with pilot plant circuit performance similar to the feasibility study design. The pilot plant also produced several tonnes of magnetite enriched tailings. Further to the upside potential opportunity referred to in the Dumont Feasibility Study published July 25, 2013, additional work will be completed during 2016 to determine whether a low cost, marketable magnetite (iron ore) by-product can be produced.

Mark Selby, president and CEO of Royal Nickel, commented:

I am pleased to be moving this testwork forward with a view to confirming concentrate roasting as a lower cost, higher value processing alternative to traditional smelting and refining for the Dumont project. I continue to be confident that this roasted concentrate option has the potential to yield significant economic benefits for the Dumont project. The testwork is expected to confirm RNC’s belief that high grade and relatively clean Dumont concentrate is ideally suited for this alternative processing option and will allow us to advance offtake and financing discussions with potential customers and financing partners – the final major step in beginning construction at Dumont.

Click here to read the full Royal Nickel Corp. (TSX:RNX) press release.