Metallurgical testwork advances at Wingellina

Metallurgical testwork is advancing at NiCo Resources’ (ASX: NC1) Wingellina nickel-cobalt project in WA with aims to underpin a definitive feasibility study.

Hosting an initial reserve of 1.56mt of contained nickel, Wingellina is capable of producing around 40,000tpa of nickel and 3000tpa of cobalt in a mixed hydroxide precipitate for at least 42 years.

The project is the largest undeveloped nickel-cobalt project in Australia and is one of the largest nickeliferous pure oxide limonite accumulations in the world.

Results from comprehensive testwork undertaken to date shows ore from Wingellina is well suited to processing by high pressure acid leach which results in high metallurgical recoveries and low reagent usage.

NiCo managing director Jonathan Shellabear says the company is pleased with the outcomes of the work.

“We are pleased with these outstanding outcomes and their importance in continuing to advance Wingellina to de a development ready project,” he said.

“This is a great stress test for a project of this magnitude and scale. We continue to press forward in readiness for the next phase.

“We have to be patient, but we do so in the belief that Wingellina is world class in size and grade, has a long life in excess of 40 years and it remains one of very few major undeveloped oxide-type nickel-cobalt deposits in the world.”

As a result of the current depressed capital market conditions, NiCo Resources will not be beginning a continuous pilot testwork program at this time, however, the work will be reconsidered following the completion of the bench scale metallurgical testwork program.