Winshear Metals (WINS ) has released the results of metallurgical testwork conducted on ore from the Rodburn target on its Portsoy nickel-copper-cobalt project in Scotland. 

The metallurgical studies were conducted on a composite sample of massive to disseminated sulphide mineralisation from drill holes completed in 2023 and 2024. 

The objective was to determine the amenability of the mineralisation to respond to conventional sequential flotation methods and produce marketable copper and nickel concentrates.

Head assays were 0.82% copper, 1.64% nickel, including 1.38% nickel in sulphide, and 0.11% cobalt.

Based on the batch tests, copper recoveries of between 75% and 80% can be expected, with nickel running at between 60% and 65%. 

Further testwork, including locked-cycle studies, could improve recovery rates.

Nickel concentrate grades of between 14% and 16% were produced, and included in excess of 1% cobalt. 

Such a concentrate would be considered ‘highly attractive to nickel smelters’, according to Blue Coast Research Ltd, the consultants who undertook the testwork.

The nickel concentrate also contained 0.54% copper, which would be payable.

Copper concentrate grades of around 25% with 1% nickel content are considered typical of this style of mineralisation. The low nickel content falls below the penalty charge levels.

“These are very positive results at this stage of the Portsoy project,” said Richard Williams, chief executive of Winshear.

“It was key for us to understand the metallurgical characteristics of the mineralisation and to ensure the recoverability of the copper, nickel and cobalt and the quality of the concentrates produced at an early stage. The results provide confidence that the Rodburn mineralisation can be processed using conventional methods, with the potential to produce saleable copper and nickel concentrates, supporting the case for further optimisation testwork as the project advances.”

 

View from Vox

 

This is a highly encouraging step forward from Winshear, as it starts to consider the viability of Portsoy. Yes, there’s mineralisation there, but until now it wasn’t known whether that mineralisation could be turned into a saleable project. Now, we have the first indication that it could be. More work to be done, of course, but so far so good. The next step will be to find out how much ore there really is.