Right Resources Reports 66.5% WO₃ Sink Product From Blue Tungsten Testwork
Right Resources’ Blue tungsten prospect delivers 66.5% WO₃ sink product in early HLS testwork
Right Resources Limited (ASX:RRE) has reported Heavy Liquid Separation (HLS) testwork results on a composite sample from the Blue tungsten prospect near Tumbarumba, New South Wales, producing a high-grade tungsten sink product under laboratory conditions. At a crush size of <1.0 mm, the HLS product assayed 66.5% WO₃ with an indicative tungsten recovery of 81.6%.
The results support evaluation of a gravity-first flowsheet using conventional gravity equipment, though larger-scale validation remains required. The testwork was conducted by Nagrom Laboratories on a 32 kg composite sample with a previously announced head grade of 0.48% WO₃, collected from one surface location at the Blue prospect, with the HLS testwork building on that result. The company explicitly noted the sample is not considered representative of grade or metallurgical variability across the wider Blue Prospect. This represents another important step in advancing the company’s understanding of the tungsten mineralisation system.
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What the HLS results showed across crush sizes
The program tested three crushed feeds plus one ground feed, with product grades consistently high across the three crushed sizes. HLS products assayed between 66.5% and 66.9% WO₃ across all three crushing conditions. Indicative tungsten recovery increased as crush size became finer, rising from 71.2% at <6.3 mm to 81.6% at <1.0 mm.
The finely ground feed (80% passing 0.18 mm) returned a lower recovery of 57.0%, primarily because 26.3% of tungsten reported to the fines fraction (<38 µm) before HLS. This suggests that fine grinding may reduce recovery via a coarse gravity route. However, this does not establish that the fine tungsten is irrecoverable — flotation and fines-recovery methods remain to be tested as part of the broader metallurgical program.
| Feed preparation | HLS product grade (% WO₃) | Indicative tungsten recovery (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed to <6.3 mm | 66.7 | 71.2 |
| Crushed to <3.35 mm | 66.9 | 77.7 |
| Crushed to <1.0 mm | 66.5 | 81.6 |
| Ground to 80% passing 0.18 mm | 61.0 | 57.0 |
Note: HLS was conducted on the +38 µm fraction only and does not represent recovery achieved using conventional gravity equipment.
Managing Director Graham Howard
“These are highly encouraging early metallurgical results and represent another important step in advancing our understanding of the Blue Prospect. The Heavy Liquid Separation testwork indicates that a significant proportion of the tungsten in the tested composite reports to a high-grade sink product at relatively coarse crush sizes. This supports evaluation of a gravity-first flowsheet using conventional gravity equipment. With flotation, magnetic characterisation and gravity validation still to come, we expect the current metallurgical program to continue improving our understanding of the project as we advance Blue alongside our broader exploration activities across the emerging Tumbarumba metallogenic province.”
Tungsten and Heavy Liquid Separation explained
Heavy Liquid Separation (HLS) is a laboratory technique used to assess whether dense tungsten-bearing particles can be separated from lighter waste rock. It provides an early indicator of whether cheaper gravity-based processing methods may be suitable for a mineralisation system. In this case, the technique tested whether tungsten minerals would naturally segregate into a concentrated “sink” product when passed through a dense liquid medium.
Semi-quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the composite sample identified scheelite as the principal tungsten-bearing mineral. The sample comprised approximately 95% quartz, with scheelite representing approximately 1% abundance. No carbonate minerals or sulphides were identified at quantifiable levels in the analysed aliquot, which may reduce complexity in future flotation testwork (subject to confirmation across representative material).
Key mineralogical findings:
- ~95% quartz composition
- Scheelite as principal tungsten-bearing crystalline phase (~1%)
- No carbonates or sulphides at quantifiable levels
- Minor tourmaline and feldspar present
- Trace iron likely introduced during sample preparation (unrelated to Fe₂O₃ assays)
For investors, tungsten is classified as a critical mineral with strategic importance across defence, aerospace and industrial applications. A simple gravity-first processing pathway would be potentially lower-cost than alternative beneficiation routes. However, these results are preliminary and not yet validated at scale or with representative sampling.
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Caveats, next steps and drilling ahead
The HLS sink products are not qualified as saleable concentrates. Across the three crushed conditions, the products assayed 8.7% to 10.6% Fe₂O₃ and 0.81% to 1.20% sulfur. Further product cleanup and marketing assessment will be required before any concentrate specification can be established.
Flotation and magnetic characterisation work remain underway as part of the broader metallurgical program, with final results expected in H2 2026. The company has outlined a structured pathway to validate and expand upon the preliminary HLS findings.
Next steps for the metallurgical program:
- Flotation sighter tests across two grind sizes comparing alternative reagent systems
- Magnetic characterisation work to assess viability within an integrated processing flowsheet
- Collection of a larger, more representative sample and larger-scale validation using conventional gravity equipment (flowsheet to be confirmed with Nagrom)
- Comprehensive metallurgical report expected from the laboratory in H2 2026
- Planned 3,000m Geochem drilling program at Blue in Q3–Q4 2026
Right Resources is a New South Wales-based mineral exploration company with approximately 2,459 km² of tenements across the Tumbarumba and New England regions. The company’s flagship Pilot gold project has a history of high-grade underground production (~38 g/t Au), whilst the Blue tungsten prospect adds a critical-minerals dimension to the portfolio.
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