Australian Vanadium reports increased ore reserve and mine life in Gabanintha project update

by Margaret Lau
AVL signed an MoU with U.S. Vanadium earlier this month. Photo: AVL
Australian Vanadium (AVL) has released an updated pre-feasibility study (PFS) indicating a 76% increase in the ore reserve at its Australian Vanadium Project in Western Australia.

The ore reserve at the Gabanintha project, near Meekatharra, has increased to 32.1 million tonnes (MT) at 1.05% vanadium pentoxide, comprised of a proved reserve of 9.8MT at 1.08% vanadium pentoxide and a probable reserve of 22.4MT at 1.04% vanadium pentoxide.

The PFS also showed an increased anticipated mine life from 17 to 25 years.

AVL – which launched its VSUN Energy subsidiary in 2016 to grow the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) market in Australia – said "positive economic results” at Gabanintha give grounds for completion of a bankable feasibility study in mid-2021, "finalising offtake, obtaining final approvals and securing project finance”.

'Globally competitive' 

The Gabanintha project is based on a proposed open cut mine and a crushing, milling and beneficiation plant at the site. AVL said concentrate will be transported to a vanadium processing plant near Geraldton for final conversion to high quality vanadium pentoxide, for sale or further conversion and use in steel and energy storage, catalyst, chemical and defence applications.

Managing director Vincent Algar said: "We have achieved our objective of outlining a low-cost, globally competitive operation, able to operate over a long life under all market conditions.”

Earlier this month, AVL announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singaporean VRFB manufacturer, V-Flow Tech, to develop pentoxide offtake arrangements to support global battery sales by V-Flow Tech and for battery sales in Australia through VSUN Energy.

On 2 December, AVL said it had signed an MoU with specialty chemical producer U.S. Vanadium for future vanadium offtake and to expand AVL’s presence in the US market.

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