Commerce Resources Improves Metallurgical Recoveries at Ashram

Commerce Resources (TSXV:CCE) has reported significant metallurgical improvements for its mineral concentrate at its Ashram rare earth deposit. Recoveries have increased from 71 to 76 percent.
As quoted in the press release:

The testwork was completed on flotation concentrate, produced from piloting, which was bench scale tested through the leach stage, and then through the Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separation (WHIMS) stage. The leach stage, completed to remove carbonate minerals remaining after flotation, used a simplified process that required only a primary leach before proceeding to the WHIMS stage. Previously, a secondary leach had been required prior to WHIMS.
The objective of the test was to demonstrate that a simplified leach stage (i.e. single-leach) could produce comparable results in fewer process steps compared to the base case (i.e. double-leach). This objective was successfully achieved, resulting in a mineral concentrate of 42% TREO at 76% recovery, and represents a significant increase in recovery from the previously reported 71%, while maintaining a high-grade (see news release dated October 5, 2015). This leach stage flowsheet development offers considerable cost advantages as fewer process steps are now required (i.e. no secondary leach, etc.) and fewer reagents are now consumed.
The simplified leach process is now being piloted to demonstrate scale-up, with results to be reported when completed.

Commerce president Chris Grove said:

We are pleased with the ongoing metallurgical improvements to the Ashram Deposit’s flowsheet and are excited by the possibilities for additional optimization.

Click here for the full press release.