Pan Asia Metals reports ‘exceptional’ flotation results at RK lithium project in Thailand

Pan Asia Metals (ASX:PAM) reports that flotation test work on ore from its RK project in Thailand has produced exceptional results, with lithium recoveries up to 87% and 3.6% lithium oxide grades in concentrate.

The ore feed grade of 0.92% lithium oxide shows recoveries of between 77% and 87%, producing concentrates of between 2.8% and 3.6%.

The RK project is one of Pan Asia’s key lithium targets in Thailand.

It is a hard rock project with the lithium hosted in lepidolite/mica-rich pegmatites, which in turn are chiefly composed of quartz, albite, lepidolite and muscovite.

In the 1970s open pit tin mining targeting weathered pegmatites was conducted on the ground.

Pan Asia now positioned with one of the highest grades

Managing director Paul Lock said the flotation test work result was “incredibly pleasing”.

Pan Asia is now positioned with one of the highest-grade lepidolite feed grades in its global peer group, he added.

“This means [Pan Asia] will be processing a materially higher-grade ore than is reflected in the RK mineral resource.”

This equates to a considerable reduction in capital and operating costs on a per tonne lithium carbonate basis, Mr Lock continued.

As good as the best in China

The company reports that the modelled mining scenario produces a lithium oxide concentrate grading 3.0% with 78% recoveries.

This scenario incorporates 20% waste material as dilution.

Test work confirms that the RK project has the potential to achieve high lithium and lithium concentrate grades.

With the high lithium oxide grades and high lithium grades achieved, the company claims that Pan Asia “has the potential to be as competitive in the best lepidolite [lithium carbonate] processors in China”.

More test work planned

The company is now planning to conduct more test work on various blends of both weathered and fresh mineralisation.

Ore sorting test work is also being undertaken on weathered mineralisation.

“This may result in better recoveries and higher concentrate grades,” stated Pan Asia.

The company’s objective has been to continue drilling with the aim of increasing and upgrading the existing mineral resource estimate.