Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. (GWMG) has completed a mini pilot plant test with its proposed process flow sheet with extremely successful results. The pilot plant has confirmed the results from laboratory scale testing.
“This is a significant milestone for us,” said Marc LeVier, Company President and CEO. “We optimized the metallurgical process and successfully operated a pilot plant which produced a mixed rare earth carbonate product. We now have a process flow sheet that is being engineered in our ongoing SKK feasibility study. The study remains on track for completion around the end of the first quarter of 2014.”
A bulk sample was taken from the mine at Steenkampskraal and processed through the mini pilot plant at MINTEK in Johannesburg, South Africa. A mixed rare earth carbonate product was produced which is being used for further characterization and evaluation in separation of the rare earth elements. Radioactive components of the sample were selectively removed from the product. As a result, the product demonstrated only background radiation levels.
