Astro Resources encouraged by positive results from first stage of Governor Broome bulk testing

Astro Resources NL (ASX:ARO) is buoyed by positive first-stage results from bulk sample metallurgical test-work on a 2.6-tonne sample from West Deposit of its Governor Broome Heavy Minerals Project in the South West of Western Australia. Preliminary results demonstrate that the material is readily processed using pilot-scale conventional mineral sands processing equipment as a proxy for a full-scale feed preparation plant. Processing produced three products - oversize (+2mm), sand (-2 +0.045mm) and slimes (- 0.045mm). The proportions of the fractions were: oversize 2%, sand 86% and slimes 12%, and the heavy mineral content of a < 0.6mm split of the sand fraction was 5.6%. “Highly encouraging results” Notably, the entire sample was readily processed through a trommel and a de-sliming circuit without incident or indication of potential processing difficulties arising from the fine clay fraction (slimes) associated with the mineralisation. Astro chairman Jacob Khouri said: “The results provided from the first stage of metallurgical test-work are highly encouraging and are a further step in the company’s quest to progress Governor Broome towards project development. “We wish to thank our shareholders for their support in 2020 and look forward to providing further updates on our work programs in the new year.” Planned test-work Heavy mineral concentrate recovered from the sand fraction will undergo further process test-work to enable development of an optimised process flowsheet as well as provide an indication of overall mineral recoveries and potential quality of the final products. The planned test-work procedure consists of three stages: Process development test work on the West Deposit bulk sample; Sighter test-work on the second bulk sample taken from the East Deposit; and Mineralogical characterisation of twenty separate Heavy Mineral (HM) concentrates obtained from the drilling of the West, East and South deposits. The scoping study is expected to commence in Q1 2021. Looking forward The test-work program is designed to enable Astro to complete an updated scoping study at Governor Broome as soon as possible. Final results for the metallurgical test-work are expected to be announced in February 2021 and an updated scoping study will be carried out incorporating the results from this work. The updated study is required due to the project’s indicated resources in the North Deposit increasing from 30 million tonnes at 4.9% HM to 52 million tonnes at 4.6% HM. It is anticipated that the update will begin next quarter.