SAGA Metals Advances RCL Technology to Optimize Critical Minerals Extraction
News related to:SAGA Metals Corp · 3 min read
SAGA Metals Corp. (TSXV: SAGA) (OTCQX: SAGMF) (FSE: 20H) ("SAGA" or the "Company"), a North American exploration company focused on critical mineral discoveries, is pleased to announce that it has advanced its collaborative metallurgical program with Temas Resources Corp. ("Temas") into Stage 2 - Detailed Bench-Scale Optimization of Temas' proprietary Regenerative Chloride Leach ("RCL") technology on mineralization from SAGA's 100%-owned Radar Critical Minerals Project near Cartwright, Labrador.
Stage 2 moves the Radar program from initial validation into defined process optimization. The work is designed to establish reproducible RCL leaching and downstream solvent-extraction parameters for titanium, vanadium and iron, produce first high-purity product samples, and generate the engineering data required to support a Gate 2 decision on a proposed mini-pilot program.
Highlights of the advancement include the commencement of an approximately eight-week Detailed Bench-Scale Optimization program, following Stage 1 recoveries of up to 90.8% titanium, 97.4% vanadium and 91.5% iron. Stage 2 is now underway, with SAGA and Temas having commenced the program, which is expected to take approximately eight weeks.
The program will test two run-of-mine ("ROM") Massive Oxide samples side by side, comparing titanium, vanadium and iron extraction, reagent consumption, leach kinetics, solution quality, residue characteristics, grinding requirements, and overall process performance. The key RCL operating variables, including hydrochloric acid and magnesium chloride concentrations, temperature, oxidation-reduction potential, retention time, solids concentration, and particle size, will be optimized to establish reproducible conditions that maximize extraction while improving reagent efficiency and solution quality.
Downstream Flowsheet and First Products This optimization phase also develops the downstream solvent extraction circuit for iron, titanium and vanadium, testing extraction, scrubbing and stripping conditions, and developing McCabe-Thiele isotherms to establish preliminary solvent extraction operating parameters. The optimized leaching program is intended to generate sufficient pregnant leach solution to run the solvent extraction circuit and recover first samples of high-purity titanium dioxide, vanadium and iron. These samples are designed to bridge metallurgical testing and commercial product evaluation, and to support assessment of end-use markets in pigment, titanium sponge feed, steel, energy storage and related industrial applications.
The Radar Property comprises 690 mineral claims across 9 mineral licenses, totalling approximately 24,175 hectares in southeastern Labrador, located approximately 10 km south of Cartwright. The Property entirely encloses the Dykes River Intrusive Complex (~160 km² at the surface) and is accessible year-round via paved Route 510, a Cartwright logging road, and a SAGA-constructed access trail. Infrastructure advantages include the deep-water port at Cartwright, the Cartwright Airport (YRF), and proximity to regional hydroelectric power from Muskrat Falls and Churchill Falls.
Stage 2 Detailed Bench-Scale Optimization Stage 2 is being conducted by Temas on material supplied by SAGA and is expected to take approximately eight weeks. The program commences by testing two run-of-mine ("ROM") Massive Oxide samples side by side, comparing titanium, vanadium and iron extraction, reagent consumption, leach kinetics, solution quality, residue characteristics, grinding requirements, and overall process performance. Optimization will focus on the key RCL operating variables, including hydrochloric acid and magnesium chloride concentrations, temperature, oxidation-reduction potential, retention time, solids concentration, and particle size. The objective is to establish reproducible conditions that maximize extraction while improving reagent efficiency and solution quality.
The program will also develop the downstream solvent extraction circuit for iron, titanium and vanadium, testing extraction, scrubbing and stripping conditions, and developing McCabe-Thiele isotherms to establish preliminary solvent extraction operating parameters. The optimized leaching program is intended to generate sufficient pregnant leach solution to run the solvent extraction circuit and recover first samples of high-purity titanium dioxide, vanadium and iron. These samples are designed to bridge metallurgical testing and commercial product evaluation, and to support assessment of end-use markets in pigment, titanium sponge feed, steel, energy storage and related industrial applications.
Temas' RCL process consists of an atmospheric chloride leach followed by successive solvent extraction of titanium, vanadium and iron. The process is designed to produce a high-purity titanium-bearing strip solution that can be converted to TiO2 products, a high-purity vanadium product suitable for steel or battery applications, and a high-purity iron product suitable for pigment or iron production. RCL employs commercially proven unit operations and is flexible across a range of titanium-vanadium-iron feedstocks.