ACDC Metals (ASX: ADC) has reported positive metallurgical testwork results from a 1.6-tonne bulk sample collected from its Goschen Central heavy mineral sands project in western Victoria. The results, which confirm the suitability of the project’s mineral composition for processing, pave the way for further feasibility studies and discussions with potential offtake partners.
The Goschen Central project is located within the Murray Basin, a region known for its WIM-style heavy mineral sands deposits. ACDC Metals holds an 80% interest in the project, with the remaining 20% held by Providence & Gold Minerals.
The testwork, conducted by Mineral Technologies in Queensland, validated the company’s proposed flowsheet and confirmed the saleability of key mineral products. The metallurgical analysis showed:
- Monazite concentrate with 60.5% total rare earth oxides (TREO).
- Chemical-grade zircon production.
- Heavy mineral concentrate (HMC) with more than 25% zircon and more than 27% titania.
A marketing study by TZ Minerals International (TZMI) assessed the commercial potential of the extracted minerals, confirming that the product suite is competitive with other Murray Basin heavy mineral sands projects.
ACDC Metals’ chief executive officer Tom Davidson said the results strengthen the project’s potential and provide confidence for future economic assessments.
“The completion of the heavy mineral sand metallurgical testwork program for Goschen Central is a very important milestone in underwriting the project’s value. With data in hand, we are now having conversations with potential customers regarding the product suite that ACDC Metals can deliver from potential future production.”
The testwork program included characterisation of zircon, rutile, ilmenite, monazite, and xenotime to refine processing methodologies. The results will support engineering inputs for feasibility studies and inform the company’s mineral resource estimate.
Next steps
With the validation of the processing flowsheet, ACDC Metals will progress discussions with potential offtake and strategic partners. The company is also assessing the economic contribution of finer fractions in the deposit, which could further enhance the project’s value.
