Metallurgical Tests
Jangada collected volumetric samples from surface outcrops and executed one twin drill hole for bench and pilot scale metallurgical testworks, which have been conducted in three laboratories, including: 1) Fundaço Gorceix (based in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais - Brazilian's iron ore reference laboratory); 2) Metso Brasil Indústria e Comércio Ltda (based in Sorocaba, SP-Brazil) and 3) Motta de Lafões Geologia (based in Belo Horizonte, MG-Brazil). Petrographic and mineralogical studies have also been completed to support the metallurgical testworks.
The metallurgical tests commissioned by Jangada have processed ore materials from the Pitombeiras project in bench and pilot plant scale using dry and wet magnetic routes. It has been demonstrated that the ferrovanadium-bearing magnetite rocks respond quite positively to wet magnetic separation after being classified, milled, and concentrated to < 0.2mm granulometry.
Considering the weathering/oxidation nature of the Pitombeiras FeV mineralisation, three different types of rock materials have been tested: the Oxidized surficial material, the Transition zone and the Fresh rock. The mass recovery in pilot plant scale of the magnetic fractions from these three materials were 52.6%, 41.8% and 53.1%, respectively, yielding metallurgical recoveries varying from 58.8% to 73.0% Fe and 70.5% to 87.55% V2O5.
The high-grade nature of Pitombeira’s Fe material makes Jangada's potential concentrate product highly attractive, which could drive a highly economical operation. The results also establish that the magnetic recoveries produce a low SiO2 and low Al2O3 product, which is highly sought after as well.