Australian Vanadium Wraps Up Government Funded Critical Minerals Research Into Vanadium Processing

Australian Vanadium Ltd (ASX:AVL) has wound up its industry-leading critical mineral research aimed at improving vanadium processing efficiency.

The work was a Cooperative Research Centres Project (CRC-P) and was partly funded by an Australian Government grant awarded in February 2020 to the tune of $1.25 million.

Total project value was $4.9 million, including cash and in-kind contributions.

The company regards the project as a success – its major outcome was the development of a salt-roast leach flowsheet, with vanadium extractions of 91% demonstrated at pilot scale.

Milestones ticked off

The project was divided into six sub-projects or milestones, with broad scope built in to allow flexibility as the project progressed:

Milestone 1 – pilot scale pelletising and roasting of the AVL concentrate;

Milestone 2 – hydrometallurgical testing, including high-purity processes for battery applications;

Milestone 3 – downstream production of a vanadium electrolyte;

Milestone 4 – development of a process to recover vanadium from mine waste;

Milestone 5 – value adding to process waste streams; and

Milestone 6 – process set point improvement.

AVL’s CEO Graham Arvidson said: “The research AVL has undertaken during the CRC-P has provided significant benefit to the company through the high level of technical understanding of methods for vanadium processing acquired.

“The research will also offer significant benefits to downstream applications of ultra-high purity vanadium products, such as in master alloys and vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs).

Strong strategic boost

“These applications are a growing segment of the vanadium market. The research outcomes represent a significant, enduring economic benefit to Australia, as well as a strong strategic boost to Australia’s critical minerals capability.

“Because of this, the Australian Federal Government’s contribution of $1.25 million to the CRC-P has the potential to be returned in value many times over.”

AVL partnered with experts in industry and academia, including Wood, ALS, Curtin University and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).

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