Viking Mines Limited (ASX: VKA), a mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing its Linka Tungsten Project, announced on 27 April 2026, a significant step in the project’s development. The company has successfully established a conceptual process flow diagram for the Linka Tungsten Project, in collaboration with Mineral Technologies. This achievement follows successful baseline metallurgical testwork, which previously demonstrated the potential to produce a saleable gravity concentrate at 63.6% WO3. The finalisation of this conceptual flowsheet marks a key milestone in Viking’s “Rapid-Start” development strategy, shifting the project’s focus from laboratory validation towards mechanical engineering and financial modelling.
The conceptual process flow diagram, which successfully incorporates all baseline metallurgical findings to date, is designed with modularity as a core strength. This allows for the future integration of advanced recovery stages, such as Wet High-Intensity Magnetic Separation (WHIMS) or Falcon Concentrators, without requiring a fundamental redesign of the primary circuit. Preliminary equipment sizing is now underway to inform indicative order-of-magnitude capital cost considerations. For evaluation purposes, a conceptual processing rate of 43 tonnes per hour has been adopted. Viking Mines Managing Director & CEO Julian Woodcock noted that defining these conceptual processing steps is a significant move in the company’s strategy to advance engineering and processing in parallel with exploration development, maintaining a capital-efficient pathway.
Further engineering inputs include planned comminution testwork, set to commence this month, which will provide preliminary data for power and water requirements to support OPEX modelling. The company is also assessing various equipment procurement strategies, including a “Purchase vs Hire” approach for specific modules like the crushing circuit, aimed at minimising upfront capital expenditure and reducing development lead times. Looking ahead, Viking Mines is targeting drilling to commence in the June quarter, alongside evaluating historical tailings and stockpiles as potential supplemental feedstocks, completing a 3D geological model, and lodging a Notice of Intent for the maiden drilling program at Linka.
