Tivan and CSIRO have completed a development testwork program for the TIVAN+ critical minerals processing technology, with outcomes “exceed(ing) expectations”.
TIVAN+ is a minerals processing technology pathway exploring the extraction of vanadium from hard-rock orebodies with reduced environmental impacts.
In November 2023, both companies locked in a technology licence agreement to develop and commercialise the TIVAN+ critical minerals processing technology.
The agreement provides Tivan with an exclusive 20-year worldwide license – excluding India – for the use of CSIRO’s critical minerals processing intellectual property for vanadium recovery.
Now, testwork has confirmed the technical viability of processing in vanadium titanomagnetite (VTM) concentrate from the Speewah vanadium project in Western Australia with the TIVAN+ technology.
The testwork program:
- investigated risks and opportunities identified for the TIVAN+ technology, developed through integration of aspects of Tivan’s own VTM intellectual property with CSIRO’s VTM processing technology
- reviewed the TIVAN+ flowsheet to identify technology gaps in support of testwork definition
- validated the TIVAN+ technology flowsheet utilising VTM concentrate from Tivan’s Speewah and Mount Peake projects
- supported future process engineering activities
- addressed key technical areas required to support a future TIVAN+ pilot plant.
Testwork was performed on high-grade Speewah concentrate and was conducted at CSIRO’s mineral resources facility at Waterford, WA.
“A year on from our decision to break from the TIVAN flowsheet, we are delighted to report the first testwork results of our strategic partnership with CSIRO,” Tivan executive chairman Grant Wilson said.
“The results confirm the technical viability of TIVAN+ and the amenability of the technology pathway to the Speewah resource. These are critical foundational steps and the result of extensive collaboration between Tivan and CSIRO.”
At the Speewah vanadium project, Tivan is focused on developing a conventional salt roast processing operation to produce vanadium products.
One of Australia’s 31 critical minerals, vanadium’s demand is expected to grow due to its increasing use in renewable energy storage systems like redox flow batteries.
“The success of the testwork program means that Tivan can now evaluate the traditional salt roast pathway against the TIVAN+ technology pathway,” Wilson said.
“This important exercise will occur in (the September quarter of 2024). If we decide in favour of TIVAN+, we will move directly toward the planning and construction of a large-scale TIVAN+ pilot plant. From a scheduling perspective, there is scope to construct a TIVAN+ pilot plant whilst we are delivering the Speewah fluorite project.
“A TIVAN+ pilot plant would be a breakthrough achievement in critical minerals processing and would be ‘Made in Australia’.”
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