A point of principle

Cradle Resources has a 50% interest in the Panda Hill niobium project in Tanzania. Unlike other niobium projects, its geology and metallurgy are almost entirely conventional. The flotation process at Panda Hill is similar to Niobec, for example, while the leach process is based on Catalão and the converter process on some of the principles from the final stage of the CBMM pyro-metallurgical circuit. On 20 April 2016, Cradle announced the results of a definitive feasibility study (DFS) on the project compiled by MDM, Coffey, SRK, SGS, SLR and Roskill (among others). Cradle is currently optimising the DFS before making a final investment decision in Q217. Assuming that it is affirmative, Panda Hill will then be poised to become only the world’s fourth producing niobium mine.