Agrimin Limited - Mackay Potash Project Process Engineering Update
AMN (AMN) Share Update September 2024 Monday 23rd
Agrimin Limited Announces Positive Test Results for Mackay Potash Project
Agrimin Limited (ASX: AMN) has announced further successful results from conversion and flotation testwork for its Mackay Potash Project, reinforcing the project's potential and advancing its development.
Instant Summary:
- Achieved target grades and recovery in conversion and flotation tests.
- Dewatering tests showed slurry thickened without flocculant.
- Produced 95kgs of schoenite concentrate with 94% potassium recovery.
Testwork Achievements
Agrimin Limited, in collaboration with FLSmidth Inc. and Veolia Water Technologies Inc., has reported significant progress in its ongoing process testwork for the Mackay Potash Project. The latest round of conversion and flotation tests has successfully achieved target grades and recovery rates, confirming the robustness of the project's design parameters.
The testwork, conducted at Veolia’s facility in Plainfield, USA, focused on evaluating various process conditions, including collector preparation, mixing intensity, and process temperature. The results demonstrated that the slurry thickened readily without the need for any flocculant, simplifying the commercial design for the thickener and belt filter plant components.
Bulk Flotation Effort
The bulk flotation effort produced a total of 95kgs of schoenite concentrate with an impressive 94% potassium recovery. This concentrate will be used for downstream leach and SOP crystallisation testing, marking a significant milestone in the project's development.
Debbie Morrow, Managing Director & CEO of Agrimin, expressed satisfaction with the results, stating, 'The repeatability of conversion and flotation under a range of conditions has demonstrated a robustness of key design parameters, providing deeper confidence in the flowsheet.'
Process Optimization
The Company has been progressing thorough process testwork as part of its Front End Engineering Design (FEED). Previous testwork had already indicated potassium recoveries of 90% or greater, and the latest results have confirmed these findings, further validating the process model.
The temperature testing revealed that significant losses to the brine occurred as temperature increased, aligning with previous expectations. Agrimin continues to work with FLSmidth to incorporate these laboratory results into the commercial design and overall heat balance for the process plant.
The bulk flotation effort utilized a 35-litre NextSTEP mechanical flotation cell, focusing on producing sufficient schoenite concentrate to enable testing of the downstream leach and SOP crystalliser packages.
The positive test results are likely to boost investor confidence in Agrimin Limited, potentially leading to an increase in the company's stock price. The successful conversion and flotation tests, along with the production of high-grade schoenite concentrate, reinforce the project's viability and could attract further investment.
Investor Reaction:
Analysts are expected to react positively to the announcement, given the successful achievement of target grades and recovery rates. The collaboration with leading equipment vendors like Veolia and FLSmidth adds credibility to the project's potential.
Conclusion:
Investors should keep an eye on Agrimin Limited's continued progress with the Mackay Potash Project. The company's disciplined testing program and positive results so far indicate a promising future for the project. Stay informed on further developments and consider the potential long-term benefits of investing in Agrimin Limited.