SOP from CarnalliteHere are some comments from the
South Boulder group regarding SOP and Carnallite done from their engineering scoping study.
As mentioned earlier Allana will need to conduct their own research to conduct if Carnallite extraction is feasable... If so this will be huge for Allana. PLease continue to do your DD on this topic.
ESS-2 has identified a number of areas that demonstrate positive technical aspects that could allow economic mining and processing of Carnallite to produce MOP as part of a potential future expansion of the Colluli Project. These include:
- Carnallite can be processed utilising solar decomposition and standard froth flotation to produce standard MOP;
- KCl recovery rates of up to 90 per cent may be achieved;
- If both Carnallite and Sylvinite are mined and processed together, the waste-to-ore strip ratio can be significantly reduced;
- Access to Carnallite could allow a significant increase in MOP production above the planned 1Mtpa; and
- Port and transport infrastructure can be expanded to allow increased capacity
“The processing of Carnallite, which has a magnesium chloride content as well as potassium chloride, requires a slightly different treatment method to that of Sylvinite. Firstly, the ore is dissolved and the resulting brine is transferred to a series of solar evaporation ponds. Upon evaporation of water in the first pond KCl and NaCl crystallise until the brine reaches Carnallite Saturation. At this point the brine is transferred to the next pond and the KCl/NaCl crystal crop from the first pond is harvested and washed and then enriched to 95 % KCl in a similar flotation circuit as the Sylvinite ore.
“ESS-2 has demonstrated that this approach may work, but the Company will need to conduct the relevant test work to confirm its technical and economic viability.