Weda Bay assessing options on Halmahera nickel project development

State miner PT Aneka Tambang Tbk said in its quarterly statement that during the third quarter of the year, its joint venture partner canadian mining firm Weda Bay Minerals began assessing alternative development options through additional metallurgical test work programs in Weda Bay Nickel project, which is located in Halmahera island, North Maluku.

Specifically, said Antam, the test work aims to revise the pre feasibility study (PFS) by demonstrating that the incorporation of the substantial saprolite resources at Weda Bay into the proposed processing plant improves project economics.

Antam said preliminary tests on saprolite from the extensive Santa Monica deposit are encouraging, and indicate that up to 80 percent of nickel and cobalt are recoverable through saprolite neutralization of leached PAL pulp (replacing limestone) and up to 95 percent recovery is achievable by direct leaching at atmospheric pressure.

Antam said Weda Bay believed that these metallurgical advantages would materially enhance the value of the Weda Bay project

PFS of the Weda Bay nickel/cobalt project, which was completed in June, indicated robust project economics based on a pressure acid leach (PAL) process treating predominantly limonitic ore.

Weda Bay Minerals has 90 percent stake in PT Weda Bay, which runs the huge nickel project, while Antam has 10 percent carried interest. (alex)