[Ferro-Alloys.com] Australian Vanadium (ASX:AVL) have engaged Primero Group and GR Engineering to begin preliminary crushing and beneficiation plant planning for its globally significant vanadium project near Meekatharra in Western Australia’s Murchison region.

The parties will collaborate as part of an Early Contractor Involvement Process (ECI), anticipated delivering an Engineering Procurement and Construction tender proposal from each company by Q2 2023.

The Project is one of the most advanced vanadium projects being developed globally, based on a high-grade V-Ti-Fe Mineral Resource located in the Murchison Province.

Open-cut mining and a CMB will be located south of Meekatharra, and a vanadium pentoxide processing plant will be located near the port city of Geraldton.

The Project will produce a vanadium concentrate at the resource site and complete production of high-purity vanadium for the steel, titanium master alloy and energy storage markets, as well as an iron titanium (FeTi) coproduct for export through Geraldton at its planned processing plant. AVL said it would help build relationships by collaborating in design development, optimising risk allocation and preparing EPC pricing.

“Appointing Primero and GR Engineering in this ECI role is a key step forward for the Project as we progress towards development and construction,” Managing Director Vincent Algar said.

These agreements are indicative of the level of confidence we have in progressing towards execution and will be pivotal in setting the foundations of key partnerships which are essential in ensuring the success of the Project.”

Next Steps

The ECI process will run through until Q2 2023, with each company’s final deliverable being an EPC tender proposal.

About the project

The Australian Vanadium Project is one of the most advanced vanadium projects being developed globally, with 239 million tonnes at 0.73% vanadium pentoxide (V?O?), containing a high-grade zone of 95.6 million tonnes at 1.07% V2O5. It has an ore reserve of 30.9 million tonnes at 1.09% V2O5 comprising a proved reserve of 5 million tonnes at 1.11% V2O5 and a probable reserve of 20.4 million tonnes at 1.07% V2O5, reported in compliance with the JORC Code 2012. It is based on a high-grade V-Ti-Fe mineral resource in the Murchison Province of Western Australia, about 43 kilometres south of the mining town of Meekatharra and 740 kilometres northeast of Perth. Open cut mining and a CMB will be located at the mine site and a vanadium pentoxide processing plant will be near the port city of Geraldton. The project will produce a vanadium concentrate at the resource site and complete production of high-purity vanadium for the steel, titanium master alloy and energy storage markets, as well as an iron titanium (FeTi) coproduct for export through Geraldton, at its planned processing plant.

• [Editor:tianyawei]