Modern Mining March 2022

Phalaborwa Pumping Dam Gypsum residue stack B, pumping acid water off the stack for core resource drilling in 2021.

“The exciting thing about the Phalaborwa test work is that the data we are collating in conjunction with ANSTO minerals and K-Tech, is enabling us to fully optimise the flow sheet, with potential for 99.5- 99.9% purity separated rare earth oxides. The project is advancing the chemical processing of these criti- cal minerals from historic gypsum waste, in order to leave pure, ‘clean’ gypsum stacks, and provide a key resource necessary for the green transition. Phalaborwa is also unique in that it has low levels of Thorium and Uranuim, resulting in much lower radio- activity than other deposits across the world. “We have some exciting news in the pipeline and are bolstered by the latest news from the US prov- ing the key role that rare earths will play in the future of the global economy and in the green transition,” says Bennett. 

The Permanent Magnet alternator used to generate electricity in wind turbines, converting the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy.

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