Melior division Goondicum Resources will team with the group to review work already completed while looking ahead to the mechanisms involved and achieve a full scientific understanding of it. Among its plans is to examine the feasibility of scaling it through to a pilot plant.

“It has previously recorded benchtop test results, which the company believes are unique and potentially transformative to mineral sands processing,” Melior officials said of the Browne process, which upgrades TiO2 content of standard sulphate ilmenite from about 50% up to 80% or more at temperatures as low as 1,300°C.

This is notable considering the conventional slagging process requires temperatures of 1,600°C or higher. The company said the lower temperature can possibly reduce capital costs significantly along with energy consumption and operational complexity.

Melior CEO Mark McCauley said the company is looking forward to moving the technology forward to the next level.

“In addition to potentially enhancing the economics of Goondicum, if successful, a commercially viable process could allow several options for monetisation of the technology, such as through the direct sale of the IP, the sale of equipment utilising the technology, and/or utilising the technology to upgrade purchased ilmenite and profitably value add,” he said.

“Our immediate focus is to transition the Browne process from a benchtop technology to a pilot plant scale, and we believe that CSIRO are best positioned to explore that.”

Melior owns the past-producing Goondicum ilmenite and apatite mine in Queensland, Australia.