Demonstration Plant
The Demonstration Plant is currently operating to optimise Cobalt Blue’s proprietary processing technology, as well as delivering sufficient product to support qualification as a supplier to global battery makers.
Broken Hill
Cobalt Project
While cobalt is typically recovered as a by-product of copper or nickel, the Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP) will be a primary producer of cobalt as there are only minor amounts of base metals in the ore.
Location
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is located approx. 25 km southwest of Broken Hill, in far western New South Wales. The Project covers an area of roughly 37km² within a broader tenement holding of almost 220km².
Geological Setting
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is located in a deformed and metamorphosed Proterozoic supracrustal rock succession named the ‘Willyama Supergroup’, which was deposited between ~1720 and ~1640 million years ago. It hosts most metalliferous occurrences, including the giant Broken Hill Pb-Zn-Ag (lead, zinc, silver) orebody.
Deposits
The deposits are characterised by moderate to steep dipping stratabound zones of disseminated to semi-massive cobaltiferous pyrite mineralisation. This forms 3 distinct bodies known as Pyrite Hill, Big Hill, and Railway.
The deposits extend over some 5 km of strike and vary in thickness from 10 to 300m. The cobalt occurs exclusively as a substitute within the pyrite crystal lattice, and consequently, there is a strong correlation between pyrite content and cobalt grade.
A unique mineralogical composition distinguishes the Broken Hill Cobalt Project deposits from the Nickel - Cobalt laterite, Nickel - Copper (Cobalt - PGE), and Copper - Cobalt sulphide deposits, which account for some 98% of global cobalt production.
Mineral Resources
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project hosts a global Mineral Resource estimate comprising 126.5 Mt at 867 ppm CoEq (690 ppm cobalt, 7.5% sulphur and 134 ppm nickel) for 87 kt contained cobalt, 9,510 kt sulphur and 17 kt nickel (at a 275ppm CoEq cut-off).
The Mineral Resource estimates for the BHCP deposits (at a 275 ppm CoEq cut-off) detailed by Mineral Resource classification. CoEq = Co + S % × 18.1398 + Ni ppm × 0.3043. Note minor rounding errors may have occurred in compilation of this table.)
The information related to the Mineral Resource estimate is extracted from the report titled ‘BHCP Resource Update’ issued on 30 November 2023. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original market announcement and, in the case of Mineral Resources, all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the relevant market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person’s findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.
Mining and Processing
Cobalt Blue’s strategic focus is on the battery industry and producing a battery-ready cobalt product at sufficient purity to enter the production chain directly.
Historically, cobalt has been produced as a concentrate by-product (from either copper or nickel mines), or as a mixed hydroxide or sulphide intermediate. In both cases, the payable cobalt content is a fraction of the metal value.
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is an integrated mine-refinery concept. The commercial strategy is to extract the maximum cobalt margin in a rapidly changing global market for cobalt. As demand for particular forms of cobalt wax and wane, so too will our production outcomes, which can produce a mixed hydroxide product (MHP) or cobalt sulphate (CoSO4).
Integrated mine and refinery
Mine
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project considers a multi-open pit mining scenario that will extract ore using conventional drill and blast, load and haul, and dump processes. The operation is planned to use excavators and rigid body trucks along with a fleet of auxiliary equipment.
Refinery
While all of these processes exist in mining around the world - this is the first time they have been brought together in an innovation that is unlocking cobalt from pyrite in these steps:
Concentrate
Ore is crushed to approx. 1 mm, and a pyrite concentrate is recovered using a combination of gravity and flotation unit operations.
Calcine
The pyrite concentrate is thermally treated under an inert atmosphere to produce artificial pyrrhotite (calcine) and elemental sulphur. The sulphur is condensed from the kiln off-gas and turned into solid prills.
Leach
The pyrrhotite is forwarded to a low-temperature, low-pressure autoclave for leaching. The leach residue is removed by filtration and further processed for sulphur recovery by remelting. The leach solutions are advanced through various minor metals removal steps (precipitation, ion exchange, and solvent extraction) to remove iron, copper, zinc, manganese. The cobalt and nickel are precipitated as a mixed-hydroxide (MHP) intermediate.
Product Recovery
The MHP is then refined for production of high purity cobalt sulphate heptahydrate. The target recovery from ore to product for cobalt is 85–90%.
Infrastructure
Electricity
Broken Hill is located at the edge of the National Electricity Market high voltage grid, which typically means high cost. However, the completion of the (AGL) Broken Hill Solar Farm has created a peak excess of power to the town and local environments. The solar farm is located just 5 km west of Broken Hill (along the same highway as the Broken Hill Cobalt Project future mining operations). In addition, the Silverton Wind Farm (25km NW of Broken Hill) further amplifies this excess.
Air, Road and Rail
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is connected to Broken Hill, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne via major highways.
An airport in Broken Hill services daily scheduled flights to Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne (via Mildura).
The Broken Hill to Port Pirie train line commenced construction in 1875. The rail gauge has been standardised and upgraded, is 407km long, and runs directly past the Thackaringa mine site.
Broken Hill Water
The NSW Government has built a new 270km pipeline from the Murray River to secure a long-term water supply for Broken Hill and surrounding communities. The pipeline solution supplies homes and businesses with a reliable and high-quality water source.
Essential Water is the water utility in Broken Hill. They have a significant business driver to supply water for economic development within the region. Essential Water have confirmed that they can supply the water requirements of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project using a pipeline between Broken Hill and the site.
Environment
Cobalt Blue is designing the Broken Hill Cobalt Project to minimise its impact on the environment. We aspire to operate a mine and refinery operations according to best environmental practices.
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is seeking State Significant Development approval from the NSW Government and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is currently being prepared. The NSW Government will regulate the site via a series of permits or licenses, such as:
- Environment Protection License (Environment Protection Authority)
- Mining Lease (Regional NSW)
- Water Access Licenses (Natural Resources Access Regulator)
Cobalt Blue is committed to responsible stewardship for the commodities we extract as well as the natural resources we consume and aim to adopt high standards of transparency and accountability in reporting on all aspects of our activities. Cobalt Blue is committed to undertaking conservation and rehabilitation activities to ensure ecosystems continue providing value to future generations.
Integrated Waste Landforms (IWLs)
Cobalt Blue has adopted an IWL approach to manage our bulk waste streams. IWLs minimise acid generation through careful engineering and management of the waste rock. The IWLs are also progressively rehabilitated to produce a long-term stable structure that mimics the surrounding landscape.
In the past, mining companies have typically managed waste streams in separate facilities, which have sometimes left legacy issues for future generations.
Aboriginal heritage
Registered Aboriginal Parties and professional archaeologists have commenced Aboriginal heritage investigations at the Broken Hill Cobalt Project site.
Several Aboriginal artifacts are present on the site, with the majority being closely associated with the creeks that traverse the landscape. Some of the Aboriginal artifacts will be impacted by the proposal, and Cobalt Blue looks forward to developing a Cultural Heritage Management Plan with representatives of the local Aboriginal people to manage these cultural resources appropriately. Further Aboriginal heritage survey and assessment will be undertaken during the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement.
Broken Hill Cobalt Project News
WEBINAR recording: Investor Update - Tuesday 5 March 2024
COB Management provide an update on the evolving partnership with Iwatani, the Strategic Review of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project, progress in the Cobalt-Nickel Refinery Development Program and discuss the current and future state of the cobalt market.
WEBINAR Recording: Strategic Update, including the announcement to progress the Cobalt Nickel Refinery Project in 2024
In this webinar, Joe Kaderavek (CEO), Dr Andrew Tong (Executive Manager) and Joel Crane (Investor Relations/Commercial Manager) provide an update on: progress of the Definitive Feasibility Study for the Broken Hill Cobalt Project, details of the recently released Study on our proposed Cobalt Nickel Refinery in Western Australia, and positive results of testwork on samples from the Flin Flon (Canada) tailings facility.
Cobalt Blue’s Mine to Battery Markets Strategy featured at the International Mining and Resources Congress (IMARC), Sydney
Cobalt Blue participated in this year’s International Mining and Resources Congress (IMARC) in Sydney (October 2023), which saw 8,500+ attendees from 100+ countries collaborating on trends in mining, investment, and innovation towards a sustainable future.
COB - Finalised Mining Lease Application Lodged
Mining Lease Application 634 (‘MLA634’) has been submitted and complements our earlier application (‘MLA614’). Collectively with existing Mining Leases, MLA614 and MLA634 cover the area required for development of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project (‘BHCP’).
Cobalt Blue Publishes 3rd Annual Sustainability Report
In January 2019, the Cobalt Institute launched the Cobalt Industry Responsible Assessment Framework (CIRAF) and this is Cobalt Blue’s third annual report against the framework – Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd. Sustainability Self Assessment and Roadmap (2023/24)
Bulk Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) Produced
Successful operations continue at the Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP) Demonstration Plant that provide data and supporting studies for the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS). In recent weeks, our operators have produced over 100kg of Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP). These samples will be used in engineering studies needed to evaluate and specify equipment for the BHCP processing facility and for international evaluation as part of our partner program.
Cobalt Blue visits Japan – furthering Kwinana Cobalt Refinery and Broken Hill Cobalt Project Cooperation (Aug. - Sept. 2023)
Closing on the delivery of feasibility studies for the Kwinana Cobalt Refinery and Broken Hill Cobalt Project, Cobalt Blue is finalising funding assistance and offtake partnerships. Discussions held included strategic commercial alignments aimed at supplying critical minerals to fast-growing US and EU Electric Vehicle (EV) markets.
ABC Radio Interview: Cobalt Blue Holdings Investment Relations/Commercial Manager discusses the ‘big picture’ for cobalt demand globally and the local perspective of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project.
In this interview with Andrew Schmidt on ABC Radio in Broken Hill, Joel Crane provides information on the global outlook for cobalt and the influence of international legislation. The strategy being deployed by Cobalt Blue is also discussed, covering the Broken Hill Cobalt Project and more recently announced Kwinana Cobalt Refinery in Western Australia.
WEBINAR recording: Strategy, Demonstration Plant and Refinery Development Program
In this webinar, Joe Kaderavek (CEO), Dr Andrew Tong (Executive Manager) and Joel Crane (Investor Relations/Commercial Manager) provide an update on the WA Refinery Strategy, Definitive Feasibility Study, and the recently launched Refinery Development Program – as well as answer questions submitted by shareholders.
WEBINAR recording: Cobalt Blue WA Refinery Strategy and Definitive Feasibility Study Update
In this webinar, Joe Kaderavek (CEO), Dr Andrew Tong (Executive Manager) and Joel Crane (Investor Relations/Commercial Manager) provide an update on the WA Refinery Strategy, Definitive Feasibility Study, and answer questions submitted by shareholders.
COB - CEO's Letter to Shareholders
Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX:COB) is pleased to announce the release of the CEO’s Letter to Shareholders. The letter provides an overview of COB’s strategy amid the global critical minerals backdrop. COB recently issued guidance on the progress of our Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP), proposed Cobalt Refinery and Cobalt in Waste Streams projects. This letter details how all the pieces fit together.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Update
Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP) is currently preparing the EIS, which will assess the environmental, social and economic implications of the Project. The EIS will be submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment in Q4 2023 for determination of State Significant Development Approval.
WEBINAR recording: Definitive Feasibility Study update - 29 March 2023
In this webinar, Joe Kaderavek (CEO), Joel Crane (Investor Relations/Commercial Manager) and Andrew Tong (Executive Manager) provide an update on the Definitive Feasibility Study at the Broken Hill Cobalt Project, and answer questions submitted by shareholders.
