PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Lynas Corporation has renamed its Southern Zone deposit to the Duncan deposit, and has increased its rare-earths resource estimate threefold, to 7,62-million tons, grading at 4,8% for a total of 366 000 t of rare-earth oxide.

The Duncan deposit, along with the Central Lanthanide deposit form part of the Mount Weld project, in Western Australia. The two deposits are now estimated to host a combined 17,49-million tons, at 8,1% rare-earth oxide, for a total resource of 1,41-million tons.

Lynas said on Monday that work on the prefeasibility study at the Duncan deposit has started. This study would determine the optimal process flow sheet to maximise recovery of the rare earths.

The preliminary mineralogy test work has been completed, while the beneficiation process test work would start in late 2010.

Meanwhile, further resource drilling was planned at the Central Lanthanide deposit during early 2011, to the west of the current mine plan and pit design.

Lynas noted that, following this drilling programme, it was anticipated that a new pit optimisation would be undertaken, resulting in an expansion of the mine plan and pit design.

Lynas was looking to concentrate the ore mined at the Mount Weld project in a concentration plant, about 1,5 km from the mine. The concentrate produced by the plant would be shipped to the east coast of Malaysia, to the Lynas advanced materials plant, where it would be processed through to separated rare-earths products.

The development of the mine at Mount Weld has been completed, and engineering and construction of the concentration plant remained on track for completion by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the construction of the advanced materials plant also remained on time, with first feed to the kiln on target for the third quarter of 2011.

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