Quest Rare Minerals Announces Flotation Optimization Results

Quest Rare Minerals (TSX:QRM) reported results of an enhancement to the flotation phase of processing that has optimized rare earth recoveries for its process.
As quoted in the press release:

Compared to the results presented in the 2014 PEA, we obtain:

1. A 57% reduction in average flotation concentrate production – from the 578,000 dry mt reported in the June 2014 PEA to 247,000 dry mt. The extensive testing program demonstrated a mass pull of around 20%, with rare earth oxide recoveries of approximately 80%.

2. A 38% savings in the cost of transporting flotation concentrate from the mine site to the Bécancour plants. The transport costs in the June 2014 PEA were $54.2M/yr or $5.20/kg of rare earth oxide output; they are reduced to $33M/yr or $3.05/kg, a cost savings of $2.15/kg.

3. The large reduction in the volume of flotation concentrate (a 57% or 331 mt/yr reduction) feeding into the processing plants at Bécancour will also result in significant reductions in both processing plant capital and operating costs (yet to be quantified).

Quest executive chairman, Pierre Lortie, said:

We are very pleased with the results of this important optimization work. They not only confirm the approach adopted by Quest for ore concentration but, additionally, identify methods and approaches to considerably reduce the overall anticipated capital expenditures and operating costs of the project.

Click here to read the full press release.