Temas Commences RCL Vanadium Extraction Testwork at La Blache
Executive Summary
- Temas Resources has begun Regenerative Chloride Leach (RCL) test work on vanadium‑bearing material from its La Blache project, with results expected in 45–60 days.
- The company is re‑assaying 36,614 m of historic drill core using a fused‑bead assay method that has already shown 10‑60 % higher metal grades versus legacy acid digestions.
- Follow‑on RCL testing will target gallium, scandium and chromium, potentially expanding La Blache into a multi‑critical‑metal development and supporting an updated Scoping Study with an additional ~30 Mt of TiO₂ resources.
Key Details
- Assay Re‑assessment:
- Up to 36,614 m of historic core from Farrell Taylor, Hervieux West & East re‑logged, measured for specific gravity and sent to ALS (Montreal) for fused‑bead assay (ME‑MS81).
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748 pulps from the 2022 diamond drill program submitted for fusion re‑assay; early results show 10‑60 % higher critical metal content versus prior 3/4‑acid digestions.
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Vanadium RCL Testwork:
- Commenced on La Blache vanadium material; scope includes loading of vanadate onto proprietary resin, regenerable elution, and production of ammonium metavanadate (AMV) with low impurity levels.
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Expected completion: 45–60 days; results will include recovery rates, purity, and mass‑balance data.
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Future Metallurgical Work:
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Planned RCL testing on gallium, scandium and chromium later in 2026 to evaluate commercial recoveries of these critical metals.
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Strategic Impact:
- Successful vanadium extraction could be incorporated into an updated La Blache Scoping Study, adding a new revenue stream and supporting the inclusion of additional critical metals.
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Re‑assay data accelerates feasibility timelines by reducing the need for further drilling, potentially shaving years off project development.
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Pilot Validation:
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Prior pilot test (~830 kg) demonstrated 99.8 % pure TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ production; RCL platform holds 11 granted patents covering a broad range of metals and feedstocks.
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Auditor Change:
- HLB Mann Judd resigned; De Visser Gray LLP re‑appointed as auditor to meet Canadian reporting requirements.
Notable Quotes
“The adoption of fusion‑based re‑assaying has the potential to materially enhance our understanding of grade distribution at La Blache.” – Tim Fernback, President & CEO
“Successful results from this RCL testwork will add to our intellectual property portfolio… and aligns with our strategy of combining proprietary processing technology with resource ownership.” – David Caldwell, COO