KWG Resources said it has completed tests in Sudbury on a refining method to process chromite ore from the Ring of Fire.
The testing was done by XPS Consulting, a division of Glencore’s Sudbury mining operations.
In an April 2 release, KWG said the results of these tests provide “substantial encouragement” that its newly developed method using natural gas may be utilized to convert the Black Horse chromite into a metallised chrome and iron alloy.
The company thinks this refining method could produce “substantial” energy savings.
“The study suggests that overall direct energy costs to process one tonne of concentrate into metallized ferrochrome alloy are less than half those required for conventional technology.”
KWG said this process has a “considerably lower greenhouse gas emission footprint and greatly reduced impact on the environment.”
The capital costs are estimated to be significantly lower than those for conventional processes utilizing electricity. KWG is pursuing an international patent for this technology.
