Globe Metals & Mining has signed a non-binding term sheet with TCM Research, giving it exclusive use of the latter’s principal technology for processing niobium from the Kanyika project in Malawi.
TCM has been selected to design the refinery process for the Kanyika concentrate and to determine the design parameters of a proposed refinery after carrying out metallurgical testwork on a sample. It will then construct a pilot plant to demonstrate the extraction and refining of high-grade niobium, tantalum and other metals from Kanyika concentrate using its principal technology.
Globe says the technology will allow it to substantially reduce single-use chemicals and to recycle the main process reagent in chlorine, leading to positive project economics. It will enable the adoption of a refining process that not only reduces its environmental impact and carbon footprint, but is also more cost-effective.
According to the terms of the agreement, Globe must pay TCM a 1 per cent royalty on a quarterly basis for all sales that result from the use of the refining technology, in addition to paying a US$15,000 (AU$23,777) exclusivity fee each quarter from July next year until it pays its first royalties.
TCM can only terminate the licence agreement if Globe fails to pay the royalty, while the latter can end the arrangement by giving 12 months’ prior written notice.
Globe Metals & Mining chief executive officer Grant Hudson said: “The innovative use of well-proven technology pioneered by TCM potentially provides us with a number of key advantages over traditional acid-leach and solvent extraction processes that are used for the production of niobium oxides. It does not use aggressive acids and produce toxic process wastes, provides better metal extraction, lower production costs and the ability to recycle chlorine, which is the main process input.”
The company says the ultimate refinery design will be determined by the results of the ongoing testwork, with the final scope to play particularly close attention to the discard rate of gangue from the proposed gravity spiral plant. That will decide the operating parameters of each step in the refinery process and achieve target quality.
Globe has targeted the last quarter of the year to complete all of its design work before a revised feasibility study is released in the first three months of next year. A feasibility study completed by the company in 2021 outlined an impressive EBITDA figure for a fully-developed operation of US$3.74 billion (AU$5.62 billion) across an initial mine life of 23 years.
The proposed mining and processing operation at Kanyika is expected to churn out about 11,300 tonnes of niobium and tantalum concentrate per annum on the back of proved and probable ore reserves of 33.8 million tonnes, grading an average 3048ppm niobium pentoxide and 141ppm tantalum pentoxide.
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By Michael Philipps
