Gravity separation pulls Equinox’s Mata da Corda into orbit as potential titanium producer

A 84.7% heavy mineral concentrate produced in tests by Equinox Resources highlights the potential of Mata da Corda project to supply premium titanium minerals.

The production of a 84.7% heavy mineral concentrate could send Equinox Resources’ Mata da Corda project into space. Pic: Getty Images

• Gravity separation produces 84.7% heavy mineral concentrate at Mata da Corda

• Results demonstrate project’s potential to be a significant future source of premium titanium minerals

• Equinox continuing test work and drilling at tighter spacing to support a maiden resource estimate

Special Report: Simple gravity separation is all it takes for Equinox Resources to produce a concentrate with 84.7% heavy mineral content using material from its Mata da Corda project in Brazil’s Minas Gerais State.

This offers a low-cost beneficiation route to produce titanium dioxide from the project – an encouraging sign given the total addressable titanium market is projected to grow from $29 billion in 2024 to $53.65 billion by 2033.

Equinox Resources (ASX:EQN) adds that magnetic separation of the HM concentrate has produced distinct mineral fractions, with the highly susceptible magnetic fractions suggesting an enrichment in titanium bearing minerals.

Drilling, which returned recent hits such as 47m grading 12.8% TiO2 and 32m at 12.7% TiO2, has already demonstrated that widespread TiO2 mineralisation is present across the Pindaibas, Patos, and Olegario prospects, which cover just 2.9% of the total ~2200km2 project in the Arco do Alto Paranaíba region.

This also returned up to 15,468ppm total rare earth oxides and 1112ppm niobium pentoxide, which highlights the polymetallic nature of the project.

“The initial metallurgical results from the Mata da Corda project are exceptional. With an outstanding 84.7% heavy mineral content, this grassroots discovery is emerging as a high-quality, high-potential asset that continues to surpass our expectations,” managing director Zac Komur said.

“The successful separation of a clean heavy mineral concentrate and the clear identification of titanium-rich fractions demonstrate the project’s strong potential to become a significant future source of premium titanium minerals.

“Coupled with free-dig mineralisation from surface and a gravity separation circuit requiring no reagents, this represents a pivotal milestone in unlocking value from the Mata da Corda titanium project and a meaningful step forward for Equinox Resources and our shareholders.”

Shaking table test work showing distinct mineral banding. Pic: Equinox Resources

Metallurgical testing

EQN collected 80kg of material from seven reverse circulation holes in its maiden drill program to undertake mineralogical and modal analysis to determine the nature and distribution of heavy minerals within the targeted mineralised zone.

Testwork started with scrubbing and screening to remove oversize particles and slimes, which were observed to have high clay content.

The fine-grained slimes fraction is often associated with REEs and niobium in similar mineral systems and will undergo QEMSCAN mineralogical analysis to determine the deportment and concentration of rare earth and niobium minerals.

This will guide potential optimisation strategies, including assessing secondary processing pathways aimed at recoveries from the slimes stream.

Following this, the material was subject to gravity separation using a laboratory-scale wet shaking table to produce the clean HM concentrate with visually distinct mineral bands.

The gravity concentrate was then subjected to magnetic separation, which demonstrated clear separation between magnetic and non-magnetic constituents.

Notably, the 0.75 A magnetic fraction showed clear enrichment in titanium-bearing minerals such as ilmenite, supporting the potential for production of a TiO2-rich concentrate.

EQN will now carry out XRF analysis of the sand and slime fractions with preliminary results anticipated within weeks.

A QEMSCAN analysis will be conducted to provide a detailed understanding of the mineral assemblage, grain size distribution and mineral liberation characteristics.

Drilling at tighter spacing is also ongoing to support a maiden resource estimate due for release in H1 2025.

This article was developed in collaboration with Equinox Resources, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

Originally published as Gravity separation pulls Equinox’s Mata da Corda into orbit as potential titanium producer