Can Berkeley Energia Unlock Lithium and Rubidium Riches at Conchas?
Berkeley Energia reports promising preliminary metallurgical test results from its Conchas Project in Spain, highlighting strong recoveries of lithium and rubidium using flotation and magnetic separation techniques. These findings advance the project's potential in critical minerals supply.
- Conchas Project hosts shallow, thick lithium and rubidium mineralisation
- Preliminary tests show 78% lithium and 63% rubidium recovery via flotation
- Magnetic separation recovers 77% lithium and 58% rubidium in coarser fractions
- Next steps include 3D geological modelling and further metallurgical optimisation
- Rubidium identified as a critical mineral with strategic high-tech applications
Context and Significance
Berkeley Energia Limited has released encouraging preliminary metallurgical test results from its Conchas Project, located in western Spain near the Portuguese border. The project is part of Berkeley's broader Critical Minerals Exploration Initiative targeting lithium, rubidium, and other strategic metals essential for emerging technologies and clean energy solutions.
The Conchas deposit features shallow, thick zones of lithium and rubidium mineralisation hosted within a muscovitic leucogranite unit. These metals are accompanied by accessory elements such as tin, caesium, beryllium, niobium, and tantalum, all of which hold potential value in various high-tech industries.
Metallurgical Test Highlights
SLR Consulting Ltd conducted a comprehensive preliminary metallurgical test program on composite samples from three diamond drill holes completed in 2024. The program included head sample characterisation, mineralogical analysis, gravity, flotation, and magnetic separation tests.
Flotation testing demonstrated very good recoveries of lithium at 78% and rubidium at 63%, achieving acceptable concentrate grades at a grind size of -150 microns. Magnetic separation tests on coarser material (-300 to +150 microns) showed promising stage recoveries of 77% lithium and 58% rubidium, suggesting a potential processing strategy combining magnetic separation for coarser fractions followed by flotation for finer material.
Strategic Importance of Rubidium
Rubidium, a critical raw material, is gaining prominence due to its unique properties and applications in defence, aerospace, communications, medical imaging, and renewable energy sectors. Notably, the USA and Japan have classified rubidium as a Critical Mineral, underscoring its strategic importance and supply chain vulnerabilities, given that global production outside China is currently negligible.
Berkeley's identification of consistent rubidium grades alongside lithium enhances the Conchas Project's appeal, positioning it as a potential supplier of these vital materials to high-growth technology markets.
Next Steps and Outlook
Following these positive metallurgical results, Berkeley plans to advance the project through detailed 3D geological modelling to refine the understanding of lithium and rubidium mineralisation. This will precede resource estimation efforts. Additionally, a second phase of metallurgical testing is planned to optimise flotation and magnetic separation processes further.
While these results mark a significant milestone, the company acknowledges that the data is preliminary and derived from limited composite samples. Economic viability and full resource delineation remain to be established through ongoing exploration and technical studies.
Bottom Line?
Berkeley Energia’s Conchas Project is advancing steadily, with promising metallurgical results setting the stage for resource definition and potential critical minerals supply.
Questions in the middle?
- How will Berkeley optimise processing flowsheets to maximise lithium and rubidium recoveries?
- What are the timelines and expected scale for resource estimation and potential mining development?
- How might global rubidium market dynamics and supply constraints influence the project's strategic value?
