Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited (ASX: COB) has taken further steps in its commitment to build a metallurgical testing centre in Broken Hill in New South Wales.
COB’s Chief China representative, Joe Lam, recently completed a progress inspection visit for key leach reactors (autoclave) and filter equipment. The estimated arrival date of these equipment items is Q1 2020.
The metallurgical testing centre will include a Demonstration Plant in support of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP). The plant will provide reliable testwork data for incorporation into the upcoming Feasibility Study in 2021 and will be focussed on testing the COB patented minerals processing technology to produce cobalt sulphate from pyrite samples. Design, engineering and procurement is now well underway.
Initially, COB will be using an existing 90 tonnes of samples stored from previous drilling campaigns to commission the plant. This step is expected to be completed in mid 2020. COB then intends to treat up to 4,000 tonnes of sample through the plant.
The plant will then be operated on a continuous basis to produce cobalt sulphate and elemental sulphur for marketing and offtake negotiations.
The company’s global partners have indicated that 150–300 kg of cobalt sulphate is required to make ‘test batteries’ for verification of new chemical suppliers. COB aims to produce a minimum of two tonnes of cobalt sulphate.
In addition to testing samples for the BHCP, COB will make the facilities available for evaluation of the patented minerals technology for application to other projects. This work will be conducted under the COB Partnerships framework.
Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited (ASX: COB) is an exploration and project development company. Work programs advancing the Broken Hill Cobalt Project in New South Wales continue. Cobalt is a strategic metal in strong demand for new generation batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries now being widely used in clean energy systems.
