Impact: Positive
Aston Minerals reported metallurgical test results from its Bardwell Ni deposit on its 100%-owned Edleston project, located just south of Timmins, ON. The flotation tests produced a Ni rougher concentrate with recoveries of up to 76%, ~12% higher than the initial tests (read initiation report). Aston noted that there was a strong correlation between recoveries and sulphur content, with >0.2% S required to attain >59% Ni recovery, and most of the Bardwell resource has >0.2% S. Assay results are pending from a recently completed short-hole drill program at Bardwell, and Aston plans to use core from that program to add to a composite sample for feed into locked cycle tests for further optimization. The company would then conduct magnetic separation of the rougher flotation tails, which has been used by peers to not only improve Ni recoveries, but also produce a magnetite concentrate. In our opinion, these are positive results, with improved Ni recoveries from the initial tests. We look forward to further optimization work, including the locked-cycle tests and magnetic separation work.