• Critical Resources (CRR) successfully produces “exceptional” high-grade, low-impurity spodumene concentrate from its Mavis Lake project in Ontario, Canada
• The company says it achieved the results using simple heavy liquid and magnetic separation processes, which returned grades of 6.42 per cent lithium oxide
• According to CRR, the high lithium grades coupled with “extremely” low impurities showcase the potential for Mavis Lake to produce premium-quality concentrate
• The company continues to advance its metallurgical testwork, with the results to form the basis of a scoping study due for completion in mid-2023
• Shares in Critical Resources were up 5.36 per cent to 5.9 cents per share at 10:41 am AEDT

Critical Resources (CRR) has produced “exceptional” high-grade, low-impurity spodumene concentrate from its Mavis Lake project in Ontario, Canada.

The results come from its first tranche of metallurgical testwork, which the company said was deliberately limited to basic heavy liquid and magnetic separation processes.

From this work, CRR delivered concentrate results of up to 6.42 per cent lithium oxide with “extremely” low impurities. The company said this showcased the potential for Mavis Lake to produce premium-quality concentrate

Critical Resources Managing Director Alex Cheeseman said today’s results highlighted the growing potential and the “significant opportunity” for the development of Mavis Lake.

“Metallurgical test work is a key step in advancing Mavis Lake along the development pathway,” Mr Cheeseman said.

“The results show that the high-grade mineralisation at Mavis Lake readily converts to high-grade, low-impurity concentrate. Concentrate with this type of specification commands a premium in the market.”

The company said it now intended to continue its metallurgical testwork to explore the potential of lithium liberation from Mavis Lake feed material. This work will potentially include heavy liquid separation at finer crush sizes and the flotation of middlings and tailings.

Further, CRR has commenced permitting to allow bulk sample collection, which it intends to complete during the Canadian summer. The bulk samples will be used for further extensive testwork programs aimed at optimising and testing future flowsheet designs.

The results of the metallurgical test work will form the basis of a scoping study currently slated for completion in mid-2023

Shares in Critical Resources were up 5.36 per cent to 5.9 cents per share at 10:41 am AEDT.